An American tourist admitted to possession of cannabis when she appeared in court yesterday.

Crown Counsel Takiyah Burgess told Magistrates' Court that Tanique Nelson, 24, of Long Island, New York, was arrested on Monday at L.F. Wade International Airport.

Nelson was in the process of boarding a flight to the US when customs discovered a small brown twist containing plant like matter.

It was later confirmed that the substance was 1.28 grams of cannabis.

When questioned, Nelson stated that she received the drug from a friend at a party and forgot that it was in her pocket.

She insisted that she did not bring it into the island and said: "I am very sorry for what has happened."

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner fined her $1,000 with three months prison default.