A Supreme Court jury yesterday heard how a husband and wife allegedly tried to smuggle in more than 500 pounds of cannabis by hiding the drug in fruit juice boxes and having it shipped to an unwitting jeweller.

Orien Derek Tuzo, 36, and Karen Rochelle Tuzo, 33, both of Boundary Lane, St.

George's, pleaded not guilty to importation and possession of cannabis with intent to supply.

Crown Council Mr. Khamisi Tokunbo said the Tuzos "fraudulently'' used the name of Astwood Dickinson jewellers to "unsuccessfully smuggle 15 boxes of fruit juices and syrup containing over 500 pounds of cannabis''.

"On examination Customs officers found that at least two cans contained taped packages with plant material immersed in a liquid,'' Mr. Tokunbo told the jury.

Yesterday, Customs officer Mrs. Carla Burgess, who inspects freight at the airport, said that on March 22 a man came into the inspection room to have a bill of entry passed.

"He presented me with a bill of entry with the name Karon Tuzo on it,'' she said. "But going through it I noticed some discrepancies.'' Of the three documents she checked, she said, the "airway bill'' had the consignee as Astwood Dickinson, 55 Front Street, Hamilton, but this was not on the bill of entry.

But she noticed the name "Karen Tuzo'' was on both documents and the invoice.

One document said the package contained fruit juice while another said it contained juice and syrup, Mrs. Burgess told the jury.

"If it contained the syrup, Mr. Pond would be required to pay more duty,'' she said. "The package was coming from Jamaica and it had a value of $1,374.50.

"Since Astwood Dickinson's name was on the airway bill I asked him if it was his and he said it must have been a mistake.'' But Mrs. Burgess said he told her he was authorised to sign for the package and he paid the duty and left.

Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Mr. Archie Warner Mrs. Burgess said she authorised the goods to be released because Karen Tuzo's name was on all three of the documents.

She added that she did not know who compiled the bill of entry.

Mr. Scott Johnson, who worked at Astwood Dickinson at the time of the incident, said the company never did any business with Jamaica and never had cause to import fruit drink.

Customs officer Kenneth E. Simmons Jr., who worked in the freight shed, told the court that at 11.05 a.m. he saw four large boxes which had the name Astwood Dickinson written on it.

"There was also a container outside the freight shed with the remainder of boxes. The freight shed worker gave me the documents for shipment copies which said fruit drink and strawberry soda were in the boxes.

"The commercial invoice had the name Astwood Dickinson Enterprises in care of Karen Tuzo,'' Mr. Johnson said.

He added that he instructed the worker to put the boxes aside for inspection.

He later opened the large box and found four small boxes.

"I opened one and found a variety of fruit juice in cans. I took one can out, shook it and noticed a splashy sound when I took another out I did not notice the same sound.

"I found out who had come to pick the shipment up and informed him that he would have to come back as the goods would have to be examined.'' Mr. Johnson said he took the boxes into the X-ray room and looked at the cans he noticed something was in one of the cans and opened it.

"I noticed that there was about an inch of thick orange syrup in the can and under that was a taped package. I probed the package and saw that it contained plant material. I opened another can and found the same thing.'' The trial continues on Monday afternoon before Puisne Judge the Hon. Mr.

Justice Ground. Mr. Melvin Douglas is assisting the Crown and Ms Victoria Pearman is assisting the defence.