that they were receiving treatment for their addiction to heroin but had chosen their trip to the Island as an ideal time to relapse.

Christy Grose and Vanessa Koch were arrested leaving the cruise ship Zenith on Monday after being searched by Customs' officers.

They discovered the girls were both carrying plastic bags containing small bundles of white powder and mirrors, razor blades, scissors, straws and tubing.

They were both charged with possession of diamorphine and drug equipment after a Government analyst found the white powder was 3.4 grams of the drug and the other items tested positively for heroin residue.

Duty Counsel Julianna Alexander-Jacks told the court that Grose and Koch were self-professed heroin addicts and had been receiving treatment in the US for their addiction.

They had now realised relapsing on the trip had been a terrible thing to do and had vowed to pick up their treatment on return to New York, she continued.

She added that they had no previous convictions and were horrified about what happened.

Senior Magistrate William Francis said he would take into account the girls' youth before he fined them each $400 for possession of the drug and $100 for possession of drug equipment.