A delegate to the US Coral Reefs Task Force meeting in American Samoa has been fined US$5,000 by the High Court for possession of marijuana.
The 30 year old was to represent the Coastal States Organisation, a non profit organization based in Washington D.C. at the conference.
But the night she arrived in the territory, a customs dog sniffed marijuana on her.
The $5,000 fine is the maximum allowed under local drug law.
Chief Justice Michael Kruse noted that the marijuana found was a small amount and it was for personal use.
He ordered her to pay a fine of $5,000 which is on par with sentences handed down by the court in past cases of visitors convicted of possession.
