A New Jersey man went on trial yesterday for the importation of $59,000 worth of cocaine.

Keith Falconer, 30, is accused of bringing the drug into Bermuda in January of last year, along with a charge of being in possession of cocaine, with intent to supply, and handling the drug, with intent to supply.

He has denied each of the charges, but pleaded guilty to the use of false documents.

Prosecutor Juan Wolffe told the ten woman, two man Supreme Court jury that Falconer was arrested at the Surf Side Beach Club in Warwick by narcotics officers on January 8, 2000.

He said they were tipped off and went to the holiday apartments where they searched two rooms - one belonging to Falconer, and a room directly upstairs where a teenage woman named Amber Davis was staying.

Mr. Wolffe told the court that officers found a duffel bag containing two packages of cocaine worth $59,000 in Davis' room. She was later jailed for three-and-a-half years.

She told Police that she and Falconer were paid to bring drugs into Bermuda. She said he arranged all of the tickets and where they were staying. She said he handled the drugs.

Det. Sgt. Alickson Severin said Falconer denied having any drugs in the room, and claimed not to know Davis in the room above him.

But he did admit to having a lot of cash.

The detective told the court that there was $1,200 of Bermuda currency in a bedside table drawer, which the defendant claimed he had changed over from American currency. A further US$625 was found in a safe in the room.

Also in the room was a wallet containing five credit cards and a New Jersey driver's licence, and a number of travel documents and a birth certificate, which were all made out in the name of Steve Alexander. They were seized with other items.

Falconer was arrested andsaid he did not want to make a statement about his arrest, but then told officers that he knew Davis and had sex with her.

Officers then showed Falconer the two packages they had seized from Davis' room and asked him what was inside them, and he said he did not want to comment.

The court heard from trainee Police scenes of crimes officer Crystal Rogers that she tested the packages for fingerprints and found no markings on them whatsoever.