almost $50,000 worth of drugs for supply yesterday resumed before Magistrate Edward King, with Police officers continuing to testify about events surrounding the September 24 St. George's drug bust.

Herman Samuel Coakley denies he supplied 375 grams of cannabis and 122 grams of cocaine to fellow crewman Hilton Baptiste, who was arrested by Customs officer Ari Stovell at Penno's Wharf, St. George's.

Mr. Baptiste, from St. Vincent, claimed that Coakley secured three packages to the back of his waist, under his clothing on September 24 while on board the ship.

"He gave me the packages and I didn't know what was in them,'' he told Magistrate Edward King. Baptiste said Coakley had agreed to pay him $500 for the deed.

Coakley was arrested two days later in Hamilton, where the Song of America had subsequently docked.

Det. Con. Calvin Hollis said Coakley told Police, at the time of his arrest, that Baptiste's claim that he was to meet him at the Moonglow nightclub in St.

George's later that night to hand over the packages was a lie.

But another cruise ship worker, Enley King, testified he saw Coakley outside the Moonglow nightclub on the evening in question sometime "after 11 or 10 p.m.'' Under cross examination by Coakley's lawyer, Richard Hector, Det. Con. Hollis said Baptiste told Police he met a drug dealer in New York prior to sailing named Tom, who gave him $1,000 and told him he had drugs aboard The Song of America . The drugs, Police were told, were in the possession of a person named "Bigga'' who was staying in cabin 1027. Det. Con. Hollis admitted Police did not search that cabin.

Det. Con. Gideon Richardson, under examination by Police Inspector Kendrick James, testified he was summoned to Penno's Wharf on the night of September 24, following Baptiste's arrest.

As a result of interviews with Baptiste, Police two days later drove to Hamilton where Coakley was arrested and his cabin searched, turning up $1,400 but no drugs.

The 34-year-old Jamaican national immediately denied the charge, telling Police, "You're arresting me but you didn't find anything.'' Coakley was taken to the Hamilton Police station where he called Baptiste's story a lie and refused to sign his statement.

While initially denying he even knew his accuser, Coakley eventually admitted the two men had, one week earlier, been fighting in the crew's mess.

Coakley also denied his nickname was "Bigga'', telling Police "they call me Derrick or Herman''.

Under cross examination Det. Con. Richardson told Mr. Hector, Police did not question or search Coakley's roommate or secure fingerprints from the evidence.

The trial resumes this afternoon.