A HONG KONG resident of Nepalese origin was recently given a three-year jail term and fined 3,000 yuan (US$423) after being caught attempting to bring 1,500 grams of marijuana into the mainland last year, Shenzhen Customs said Tuesday.

The man, whose identity was not disclosed, was caught carrying marijuana in an empty watermelon when crossing the border at the Shatoujiao Checkpoint on July 5, 2007, the Daily Sunshine said yesterday.

The Daily quoted an unnamed official as saying that the man, holding a black suitcase and a black plastic bag, looked nervous when walking through the "Nothing to Declare" channel at the checkpoint.

He attracted the attention of customs officials, who opened the plastic bag and found marijuana in the watermelon.

The drug trafficker was detained Aug. 20.

(Wei Jie)