A visiting consultant said importing cannabis could have been the result of a midlife crisis. Mark Richard Earley of Barrington, Rhode Island, arrived into the Island on October 23 from Newark, New Jersey.

The defendant cleared immigration, got his bags and as he went to stand in the line at Customs, a sniffer dog alerted an officer to him.

Earley was taken to a holding room where he removed a clear plastic twist containing plant like material from his pocket.

He told the officer it was marijuana and was arrested on suspicion of importation. After being taken to the Government analyst, it was revealed the substance was 3.26 grams of the controlled drug cannabis.

Earley told Magistrates' Court: "I am very remorseful. I must be going through a midlife crisis. I have never done anything so stupid and wrong in my life. I'm a fool and I'm deeply, deeply sorry".

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner gave the defendant a $2,000 fine to be paid immediately.