A Honduran clothing factory security expert told a Supreme Court jury yesterday there was no way the drugs found inside four packages of Hanes T-shirts in a 20-year-old Pembroke man?s luggage came from his factory.

Mario Larios ? was flown in for the trial of suspected drug mule Patrick Newton Stamp of Middle Town Road who denies importing and possessing $168,000 worth of cocaine with intent to supply on January 7, 2003.

The cocaine was allegedly found in four packages of Hanes T-shirts in Stamp?s luggage at the airport.

Mr. Larios told the court that during his three years as head of security at the Honduran factory which produced, packaged and exported Hanes T-shirts to the US, he had never heard of any drugs, arms or cash being put inside the garments while in the factory.

He said the factory workers were randomly drug tested as part of their adherence to the ?Customs Trade Partnership against Terrorism? because they export items to the US.

He said once the T-shirts are sealed in plastic and boxed they are stored in a restricted area of the factory, until put in a locked container ready for export.

?For every container that leaves the facility, an armed security officer travels from the facility to the port,? Mr. Larios said.

However, in cross-examination, defence lawyer Craig Attridge said the ?special machines? used by a factory worker to seal the T-shirts in plastic bags could be purchased on the internet by anyone for around $100.

In his opening statement, Crown counsel Anthony Blackman told a six-woman, six-man jury Stamp arrived on a Continental flight from New Jersey and was pulled out of line at the Customs Hall by a Police Officer.

While searching Stamp?s bag, the Officer found a package of Hanes T-shirts, which he was suspicious of and opened in front of Stamp.

Two packets were taped inside the package of T-shirts. A total of eight packages of cocaine were uncovered, in three other Hanes packages, Mr. Blackman said.

He said Stamp purchased the T-shirts at a store in New Jersey without any drugs inside. He said the items were ?tampered with and the drugs inserted?.

Det. Sgt. Hayden Small ? a Police Service expert on the drug trade ? testified the eight packages of white powder contained 664.87 grams of 65 percent pure cocaine hydrochloride, and had a street value of $168,750 if sold in 0.5 gram doses.

Co-accused, Garnell Lamont Hollis, 25, of Abbot?s Cliff Drive, Hamilton Parish, pleaded guilty to importing the cocaine, but not guilty of possessing it.Mr. Blackman asked for the possession charge to remain on file, and Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves remanded Hollis pending sentencing. Hollis is represented by Mark Pettingill.

Stamp?s trial is expected to resume today.