Local cricket star and teacher Dean Minors was in tears when Customs Officers found drugs stuffed between unassembled wooden panels of a dresser drawer - which was part of his luggage.

As members of Minors' family and friends filled Supreme Court Number Three yesterday for the first day of testimony, circumstances were revealed surrounding the night Minors was arrested for alleged drug importation.

Minors, 32, of St. George's has pleaded not guilty to importation and possession with intent to supply cannabis on January 1, 2001, after arriving on the Island on a charter flight from Florida.

Customs Officer Edward Lambert testified that that his suspicions were aroused after an X - ray inspection of the dresser drawer revealed "strange shapes" on the monitor.

A further search revealed bulging wooden panels with plant material inside, he said.

Evidence heard throughout the day from witnesses fuelled a tense and heated atmosphere between Minors' lawyer, John Perry QC, and Crown counsel Vinette Graham-Allen, who both fought to establish their respective cases from the start.

Ms Graham Allen told the seven woman, five man jury, she intended to prove that Minors had knowledge of the drugs in his luggage, while Mr. Perry, countered that Minors was the victim of a conspiracy.

After a week-long delay of the trial, witnesses told Assistant Justice Archibald Warner about the night a box - with Minors' name and address scribbled on it - was off loaded from the Florida flight and into the baggage area.

Mr. Lambert said: "Mr. Minors was the last person in the baggage hall so I approached him, identified myself and took him to the secondary inspection area. I asked him if the box was his - if he had purchased the box - and if he was aware of the contents. He said yes.

"So, I informed him that I wanted to X-ray the box. As I passed it through the machine, I saw strange shapes inside the box. I called Mr. Minors to look at the pictures and said he did not know what the shapes were."

Mr. Lambert said that as he laid out the shelving panels one on top of another and looked at them from the side, they were "bulging".

And he said when Minors saw him looking at the panels, he "suddenly stepped away" from the box.

Mr. Lambert said that he, along with the late Acting Sgt. Robin Hollinsid who was also on duty that night, escorted Minors into a search room.

"Officer Hollinsid told Minors he suspected that there was a controlled drug inside the boards," Mr. Lambert said. "He cautioned Mr. Minors, but Minors did not answer immediately because he was crying."

Mr. Lambert said further probing of one of the panels revealed plant material under several layers of clear plastic sheeting.

He said after the rest of Minors' luggage was searched he was arrested.

Prior to Mr. Lambert's testimony, Det. Con. Warren Bundy told the court he watched the box being taken off the plane only to return to the plane a second time still on the trolley.

Under cross examination by Mr. Perry, Det. Con. Bundy agreed the box stayed on the trolley for more than 20 minutes, suggesting that was enough time for the box to be tampered with.

Mr. Perry further suggested that the box was trying to be smuggled through by unknown persons before it reached the baggage area.

"I followed the trolley with the box on it for the second time and watched as it was placed on the belt with the luggage," the officer said.

Mr. Perry asked: "The reality is that an attempt was made to smuggle that box air side. The box disappeared for some time after it left the air cargo hold. Did you form the view that an attempt was being made to intercept that box?"

"No," Det. Con. Bundy replied.

"Was there any reason why the box was not off loaded the first time?" Mr. Perry asked.

"No," Det. Con. Bundy replied.

"Did that fact arouse your suspicion - the delay getting the box inside?" Mr. Perry asked.

"Yes," Det. Con. Bundy replied.

"Did you notice any other piece of luggage take that long to get inside?" Mr. Perry asked.

"No," Det. Con. Bundy replied.

The case, which is expected to last two weeks, continues today before Mr. Justice Warner.