Coleen McCloughlin, 18, showed she could rival footballers' wives in high-volume luxury shopping, but tried to slip through Manchester airport's customs in the "nothing to declare" line upon her return Tuesday morning.

The fiancee of the Manchester United star was fined 2,000 pounds (3,580 dollars), according to several reports, for customs duties on jewelry and gifts from the four-day shopping jaunt in Manhattan with two friends.

A spokesman for McLoughlin said: "We can confirm that Coleen was questioned by customs inspectors at Manchester airport this morning on her return from a shopping trip with friends in New York."

But he insisted Rooney's fiancee was "entirely unaware that she was in breach of any regulations" and that she had cooperated with officers about how much she owed for unreported purchases.

British customs law allows passengers to bring 145 pounds of miscellaneous goods, plus limited cigarettes and alcohol, into the country without paying any duty.

One of two friends who accompanied McLoughlin to the city for a four-day long weekend gushed in The Sun about their five-star hotel and high-end shopping.

"It was brilliant. We didn't like Tiffany's. We thought it was rubbish," she said, referring to the US jewellers.

"Our favourite store was Bloomingdale's," she added, describing the New York department store. "We spent, spent, spent."

After the threesome travelled back from New York in economy class, McLoughlin was detained for over two hours by customs officials.

Rooney, who has been described as the most exciting young British player, was shortlisted this week for FIFA's 2004 Player of the Year award.