Several cruise ship passengers pleaded guilty to importing cannabis when they appeared in Magistrates' Court on Friday.

Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves said: Lets deal with the bushmen first."

Paul Roche, 38, of Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to importing 14.65 grams of cannabis and also to being in possession of a pipe used for smoking the drug on May 20.

Mr. Greaves fined Roche $1,000 for the drugs and $500 for the pipe to be paid immediately.

"You have to go and have a Dark and Stormy or head to Spring Gardens (Nightclub) and have some of the real stuff, Cockspur Rum," said Mr. Greaves.

Mr. Greaves caused a bit of a stir in court when he asked, `same ship?'

Crown counsel Charmaine Smith, lawyers Mark Pettingill and Larry Mussenden asked: "Are you saying same ship or same sh**?"

With the court in peals of laughter, Mr. Greaves quickly stopped and asked: "Same details?"

Maine resident Mewitt Monis, 48, admitted bringing in 4.86 grams of cannabis.

Monis said: "I am very sorry your Worship."

But Mr. Greaves hit him with the standard fine of $1,000 for importation.

Another Massachusetts weed smoker, Walter Casale, 20, was fined $1,000 for importing 3.83 grams of cannabis.

Mr. Mussenden said: "The campaign is Buy Bermuda. Don't bring it - buy it here."

Wayne Poisson, 41, of Connecticut, imported 10.14 grams of marijuana into Bermuda.

Poisson's said the drugs were for his personal use.

However, Mr. Pettingill said: "My client had received a letter from the US Consulate after he had arrived. Why can't people be told before they come in with the drugs, that they are illegal here."

Mr. Greaves fined Poisson $1,000 like all the other offenders.