Two American tourists caught with cannabis and a stun gun in their cruise ship cabin were let off with a fine yesterday in Magistrates' Court.

Virginians Kymberly Taylor, 32, and Shayla Reid, 34, admitted possessing drugs valuing $3,625 while passengers on the Enchantment of the Seas.

Both women wept in court and apologised to Magistrate Juan Wolffe with Taylor saying: "I apologise for our actions and for not being knowledgeable of the laws of Bermuda and it will never ever happen again."

The court heard that the women were on-board the cruise ship while it was stationed in Dockyard on Monday when Police received information of drugs being in their cabin.

While searching the room around 3.20 p.m., officers found a plastic bag with 6.68 grams of cannabis and a five-inch plastic stun gun, capable of outputting 500,000 volts of electric shock.

The women were subsequently arrested and charged. Taylor admitted sole responsibility for the stun gun.

Lawyer Mark Pettingill, who represented both defendants, described Taylor as a mother and full-time student who works as a part-time retailer. He said Reid was a hairdresser.

"These are two ladies that have come away on a vacation. They admit to bringing in a small amount of marijuana with them for their own purposes. They did not even bring it ashore and had it with them in the cabin."

"They were fully cooperative from the very start as far as ownership of the property," he added.

Mr. Pettingill said the stun gun was legally attained in the United States and was kept by Taylor for self-defence reasons.

They were both fined $500 for possessing the drugs. Taylor received an additional $1,000 fine for bringing the stun gun into the Island.