into Bermuda claimed he was told pellets found in his briefcase contained gold.

Yesterday Jeffrey Kwasi Osborne, 29 of Accra, Ghana recounted how a scheduled business trip to Amsterdam turned into a weekend jaunt to Bermuda after a fellow Ghanian persuaded him to deliver gold to a United States contact.

Osborne is charged with importation and possession of diamorphine worth $593,750 with intent to supply in September last year.

A Police raid on Osborne's room at the Paraquet Guest Cottages on South Road, Paget on September 21 revealed 50 pellets of the drug wrapped in a plastic bag inside a briefcase.

Osborne who took the witness stand yesterday, claimed he worked for a company in Accra that imported electrical goods from Europe.

He recounted how last September, the company arranged for him to travel to Amsterdam on a buying trip. They obtained a visa for him and gave him money for hotel and travel expenses, Osborne said.

At the airport in Accra, Osborne met two "brothers'' from his Ashanti tribe who introduced him to a third man "Kunnedy''.

Kunnedy, who lived in Amsterdam, offered Osborne accommodation for a week. As a favour, he asked Osborne to hand over a delivery of gold to an American contact.

"I told him I had no visa to the States,'' Osborne recounted. "He told me I could change my ticket to Bermuda -- a Commonwealth State so I wouldn't need a visa.

"He (Kunnedy) told me it was easy to get a flight back to Amsterdam the following day,'' Osborne said.

Until then, he said, he said the Bermuda Triangle was all he knew of Bermuda.

During a brief stopover in Amsterdam, Osborne accompanied Kunnedy to his home.

"I waited outside for over an hour,'' Osborne said. "Then Kunnedy came back with a polythene bag containing pellets.

"There was no discussion of how to take it. I put it in the pockets of my suit,'' Osborne said.

Osborne claimed it was commonplace for Ghanians to smuggle gold and diamonds out of Ghana. And since he was already out of the country, he claimed he did not think he was acting illegally.

Osborne added he was told to use his own money for expenses and the American contact would give him $1,000.

Earlier, prosecution witness Dt. Sgt. Steven Rawlins, in a sworn statement read in his absence, claimed the quantity found equaled 23,700 "decks'' of heroin worth $25 each on the street.

Another witness, narcotics officer Det. Constable Clinard Burgess said as Police were about to begin searching, Osborne admitted he had something to show them. But he said Osborne did not specify what it was.

Defence lawyer Mr. Archie Warner in cross-examining asked Det. Con. Burgess if at any stage Osborne had admitted he had gold.

"I said he may have said that,'' Det. Con. Burgess replied.

"Did he tell you he had drugs with him?'' Mr. Warner asked. "No,'' the policeman answered.

He also admitted under re-examination by Crown counsel Mr. Melvin Douglas, standing in for Mr. Peter DeJulio, that no gold had been found in Osborne's luggage.

The case continues today before Puisne Judge the Hon. Mr. Justice Ground.