Eight cruise ship passengers were yesterday fined a total of $9,000 in Magistrates' Court for having cannabis, heroin and cocaine.

The convictions mean that more than 40 visitors have been fined more than $60,000 since the beginning of the cruise ship season.

Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves was told that the passengers from the Zenith and Horizon cruise ships were arrested after their cabins were searched by Police and Customs teams on Monday

Colleen M. Coy of Highland, New York pleaded guilty to the charge of importing 3.76 grams of cannabis but said it was for medicinal purposes.

"I've been here 17 times and I didn't tell anyone I had seizures," she said. "I didn't know I was going to get into trouble."

Coy showed Mr. Greaves a doctor's note to verify the marijuana prescription, but he said it was a note from her chiropractor and there was no mention of marijuana on the document. The 46-year-old woman was then charged $1,000 for the 14 home-made cigarettes found in her cabin.

Jennifer Piazza, 22, of New York, New York was fined $2,000 for importing 0.8 grams of cannabis and 0.28 grams of cocaine.

Frank Amilicici, 50, was fined $1,000 after he pleaded guilty to importing seven home-made cannabis cigarettes for a total of 5.44 grams of the substance. The East Meadow, New York resident said he brought the drug onboard for seasickness.

He told the court: "It was for personal use. It was not used. I brought it on the ship for seasickness. I should have asked Customs if I could have it."

And Leroy Robinson, 27, of Cambridge, Massachusetts was fined $1,000 for importing 3.84 grams of cannabis.

Four New Jersey residents who arrived in Bermuda on the Zenith cruise ship were also charged for cannabis and heroin importation.

James Steck of Trenton, New Jersey, apologised to the court before being fined $1,000 for importing 7.22 grams of cannabis.

Crown consul Shade Subair said Kennett Taylor of Flanders, New Jersey imported 0.12 grams of heroin on the Zenith and was fined $1,000.

John J. Zink, of Cliffwood Beach, New Jersey admitted importing 11.86 grams of cannabis on the Zenith and was fined $1,000.