An American tourist was fined $1,500 after admitting to importing cocaine into the Island.

Armand Anthony Mazza, 49, of New York City, pleaded guilty yesterday in Magistrates' Court to one count of importing the controlled drug.

The court heard from Crown counsel Paula Tyndale, that Mazza was arrested on May 11 after arriving on the Island from New York.

At 1 p.m., the 49-year-old cleared Immigration but was selected for a secondary search in the Customs Hall.

Officers said he appeared nervous and agitated and so they asked him if he was carrying marijuana. Mazza told them no.

During the search, officers found two small blue plastic bags containing white powder in the defendant's hand. When asked what it was, Mazza said it was cocaine.

The plastic bags were analysed by the Government analyst and found to be 0.56 grammes of the controlled drug cocaine.

Mazza's lawyer, Allan Doherty, told Acting Senior Magistrate Juan Wolffe, the drugs were for his client's personal use and he was sorry for what happened.

"This is an unfortunate situation where a visitor made the mistake of bringing in a controlled drug into the Island," he said.

Mazza was fine $1,500 to be paid immediately.