Accused of importing more than $200,000 worth of marijuana, star cricketer and schoolteacher Dean Minors took the stand and testified that he had no knowledge he was carrying nine pounds of the drug stuffed inside panels of an unassembled dresser drawer.

Standing before a packed courtroom and the seven woman, five man jury, Minors explained the events leading up to his arrest at Bermuda International Airport.

He said both he and fellow cricketer Greg Foggo were in Orlando, Florida around the same time and Mr. Foggo asked him to bring the box back to Bermuda. He suggested he was trying to help out his long time friend Mr. Foggo.

Minors, 32, has denied charges of importation with intent to supply cannabis on January 1, 2001.

The four wooden panels of the drawer were stuffed with ten bags of cannabis.

Under questioning from his lawyer, John Perry QC, Minors told the court that he had spent three years in Orlando, recently graduating in May 2000.

He said he returned on December 19, to spend the holidays with his girlfriend - who lived in Orlando. He said he became aware Mr. Foggo was travelling to Florida while at a family gathering Mr. Foggo had in November.

Minors said that he gave Mr. Foggo his girlfriend's phone number, because Mr. Foggo wanted information on what kind of night clubs to go to in Orlando.

He said the next time he heard from Mr. Foggo was on December 19, to confirm his arrival in Florida and again on the 29th, to request that he bring a box back to Bermuda.

"I asked him if he could find someone else and then we ended the conversation," Minors said. "He called me back moments later and told me that he could not find anyone, so I agreed to bring the box back."

"Did he tell you it contained drugs?" Mr. Perry asked.

"No," Minors replied.

"When you arrived in Bermuda, was it your intention to declare the box and pay duty on it?" Mr. Perry asked.

"Yes," Minors replied.

"Did you have any fear of the box being searched?" Mr. Perry asked.

"No," Minors replied.

Minors also said that he was never asked by Customs Officer Edward Lambert whether he purchased the box, knew its contents or if the box was his.

"Mr. Lambert approached me and asked me if this was my luggage," Minors said. "I told him yes."

Earlier, Mr. Perry slammed the Police investigation handled by Det. Con. Calon Hollis, suggesting that they failed to go after the real culprits of the conspiracy.

And he said that St. George's cricketers Herbie Bascome and Mr. Foggo - who throughout Minors' trial have been alleged as being part of the drug conspiracy - should have been pursued about their involvement.

Mr. Perry said with the glaring evidence that Mr. Bascome travelled to Alabama and that the box was purchased in Alabama and not in Florida, Police bungled in not furthering their investigation into the origins of the box.

However, Det. Con. Hollis said that he was satisfied that evidence gathered surrounding the box entering the Island was enough to keep his investigation focused on Minors.

Minors continues his testimony today with a cross examination by Crown counsel Vinette Graham-Allen, before Assistant Justice Archibald Warner.