Cruise ship passenger fined $3000 for smuggling cannabis

A tourist who claimed he found $175 worth of cannabis under his bed whilst on a cruise holiday has been fined $3000

Edward Molinari of New York appeared in Magistrate’s Court yesterday and pled guilty to importing cannabis on April 11th 2011

The court heard Molinari had arrived on Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas cruise ship at King’s Wharf on Monday.

While customs and police officers were searching the ship, they had reason to search the defendant’s cabin. During the search, officers found seven homemade cigarettes and one partially smoked cigarette in the safe.

Asked to address the court, Mr Molinari said: “I want to ask for leniency. I didn’t smoke it, I didn’t bring it in. I have three little kids and I locked it in the safe. I found it before we came to the Island. I found it under the bed.”

He continued: “It was in a cigarette packet. It was like my wife’s cigarettes so I threw it in her purse. She said it wasn’t hers and I threw it in the safe and was going to throw it out.”

The 42-year-old also told Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner that cannabis was “all over the boat” and admitted his story sounded “ridiculous”.

He was fined $3,000 to be paid immediately.