Police intercepted more than $320,000 in “dirty money” earned from criminal activity in Bermuda that was bound for Britain, a Supreme Court jury has heard.

Kenith Bulford, Wanda Bowen and Melina Bean were detained on March 5, 2013 when $314,950 in cash was found in the two women’s cases hidden in the soles of Nike trainers.

More than $10,000 in American currency was also discovered in Mr Bulford’s jacket pocket and suitcase, the court was told.

Prosecutors say Mr Bulford, 40, was travelling with the women to London on the British Airways flight but “went out of his way to look like he was not”.

Prosecutor Garrett Byrne told the jury: “We say Mr Bulford was in possession of these two amounts of money and that the money represented the proceeds of crime and that he knew that.”

Jurors were told that each woman’s bag was searched and contained four pairs of Nike sneakers. Mr Byrne said: “When the officers looked at them [the shoes], they noticed something odd. First they noticed the smell of glue and they noticed the stitching along the soles was rather odd.

“The shoes were examined in more detail. The officers opened up the soles of the shoes and in each and every shoe was bundles of US cash in various denominations. They were wrapped in cling film and then wrapped in tape. The money was in three bundles in each shoe.

“The total amount of money in all the shoes was $314,950.”

The court was told that the bundles were sent away for forensic examination and DNA found on the wrapping around the bundles matched Mr Bulford. Mr Byrne told jurors: “We ask you to make the obvious conclusion that at some point Mr Bulford came into contact with the money before being discovered.

“We say there is an irresistible inference that this money is dirty money.”

He added: “You may hear from an officer experienced in gangs in Bermuda and hear that Mr Bulford is linked to one gang called MOB.

“You will hear that one of its purposes is to sell drugs.”

The court heard that Mr Bulford’s British and Bermudian passports were examined by officers and revealed he had made a series of trips abroad.

Sergeant David Bhagwan confirmed that Mr Bulford had used his Bermudian passport to travel to Jamaica in 2005 and 2006, while he had used his British passport to travel to Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Bahamas and Turks and Caicos between 2005 and 2009.

Sgt Bhagwan told jurors that these countries were known to be major “trans-shipment points” for drug importation.

Mr Bulford denies two charges of possessing the proceeds of crime.

The case continues.

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