bottles of rum containing cocaine to Bermuda in exchange for $5,000, a Supreme Court drug trial heard yesterday.

Clifton Hopeton Morrison is said to have smuggled liquid cocaine in a duty-free card liquor box into Bermuda on February 6, 1999.

Morrison denied possession of cocaine with intent to supply, importing cocaine and an alternative charge of knowingly handling the drug.

The court heard that Morrison arrived in Bermuda on American Airlines flight 1444 from Miami on February 6, 1999. His departure date was to be on 20 February, 1999.

According to a statement he gave to Det. Con. Dennis Astwood on February 7, Morrison said he was having financial troubles at home due to a failing auto parts company. He said he was approached by a man called Jabba from Westmoreland in Jamaica about bringing the bottles here.

Morrison said in the statement that his rent was six months overdue, and he had goods on the docks in Jamaica since January and was unable to pay the Customs duty.

Morrison said he agreed with Jabba, who he had known for six months, to bring the two bottles of rum to Kathy Tait of 26 Cook's Hill, Somerset. In exchange he was to collect $3,000 for the deal in advance and the balance of $2,000 on his return to Jamaica.

Once in Bermuda, Morrison was to deliver the rum bottles to Kathy Tait and collect more money from Tait to take to Jabba. When asked how he had planned to take the money out of the Island, he said he was going to use a suitcase.

The court heard that when Morrison was arrested on February 6,, a piece of paper was found in one of his pockets. The name Kathy Tait, 26 Cook's Hill, Somerset and `Responsible look' was on the paper. A subsequent investigation was conducted by Police at that address stated. Kathy Tait who lived at number 25 Cook's Hill Somerset was arrested and later released. She denied knowing Morrison.

Morrison told Police that the code `Responsible look' meant that he was to look for a responsible looking woman at the Bermuda International Airport who was to pick him up, and he did not know Kathy Tait.

Morrison's luggage arrived in Bermuda before him because he missed his connecting flight in New York and had to overnight there in a hotel. The court heard that this was his first trip here from Jamaica, and he was unaware the luggage was checked from Miami through to Bermuda. While he was searching for his suitcase he missed the flight on February 5, 1999.

Morrison told Det. Con. Astwood the bottles were brought by Jabba to him at the Sangster Internatioal Airport, in Montego Bay, Jamaica. He then boarded the flight to Miami and was later checked by customs there. One bottle, he said, was checked by Customs in Miami and was returned to him, he said.

The court also heard that Morrison told Police a completely different story in an earlier interview on February 7.

He told Det. Con. Dennis Astwood he wanted to get away from Jamaica for a few days because of problems he was having with his girlfriend. The father of three said he left the rum bottles in the possession of a woman in JFK Airport in New York when he went to the bathroom.

Lawyer Victoria Pearman suggested to Det. Con. Astwood that her client was not cautioned, nor was he informed that he was under arrest.

Ms Pearman asked the officer if he recalled anyone saying to Morrison that he should come clean or he would get 15 years in Westgate Correctional Facility.

The officer said that Morrison was cautioned and no-one said anything to him.

He told the court Morrison cried and said to him in an interview room at Hamilton Police Station around 5 p.m. he wanted to get the matter off his chest.

Government narcotics analyst, Kevin Leask, told the court at the beginning of the case that the rum bottles contained 594 grams of cocaine.

Det. Sgt. Dennis Gordon said Morrison had in his possession about 30 ounces of cocaine with a street value of $90,000 at the lowest.

The trial was interrupted at around 4 p.m. yesterday when Morrison appeared overwhelmed by the proceedings and could not be seen in the dock. He was in a crouching position and crying. Morrison was offered a glass of water by his defence counsel.

Puisne Judge Norma Wade-Miller ended the trial for the afternoon. the case continues.