TA 47-year-old tourist from New Jersey was fined $1,000 in Magistrates' Court yesterday for importing cannabis.

Russell Scott Smith was stopped at Bermuda International Airport on June 12 when he arrived in Bermuda on board a commercial flight from New York. Crown counsel Cindy Clarke told the court how Smith's nervous behaviour resulted in him being stopped by Customs and searched.

She said officers asked him if he had any drugs in his possession to which he replied "no, I don't think so".

Ms Clarke said officers searched one of his suitcases and found just over 6.8 grams of cannabis inside a zip-lock bag which had been wrapped in cellophane and hidden in the folds of a shirt which had been stuffed into a small garbage bag.

She said when officers asked Smith if the drugs were his, he replied yes and was promptly arrested.

A visibly nervous Smith told Acting Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo that he regretted his actions and that it was the first time he had ever been in trouble.

He paid his fine before leaving the building with his female companion.