A woman accused of taking part in a conspiracy to smuggle cannabis worth nearly $1 million into Bermuda was cleared yesterday.

Claudisha Charley, 29, broke down in the dock after a jury acquitted her after four hours of deliberation at the Supreme Court.

The Canadian was found not guilty of conspiring to smuggle the drug into Bermuda, as well as intent to supply.

She was charged in April with conspiring with Kevin Rousseau and others after 26 packages of plant material were discovered hidden in a suitcase that she had checked in.

Customs officers found the contents after the two passengers came separately through LF Wade International Airport off a flight from Toronto, Canada.

Her name was cleared after a two-week trial in which Ms Charley alone was accused, Rousseau, 49, having already pleaded guilty.

The court heard how Rousseau’s conduct drew suspicion in the airport on April 3, when he appeared to struggle to stay awake.

However, jurors were told that Rousseau, whose statements to customs officers included claiming to be recovering drug addict with just $10 on his credit card, had intentionally behaved suspiciously as a ruse to distract airport officials while the cannabis came through.

The case was complicated by the accused carrying virtually identical suitcases. Rousseau initially presented a piece of luggage bearing Ms Charley’s name, where the drugs were ultimately discovered after a scan, but claimed he had picked it up after mistaking it for his own.

The 9,262 grams of cannabis were said to have a street value of $919,264.

Jurors heard evidence seized from mobile phones belonging to both the accused, indicating each of them had received messages from a party in Canada inquiring about their journey and arrival in Bermuda.

Ms Charley took the stand this week to give her account and maintained that the purpose of her trip had been to provide an escort service for an older man, or “sugar daddy”, on the island.

She insisted that she had no idea she was being used as part of a drug operation.

Ms Charley told the court that “Man X” had arranged to connect her with clients on the island in return for a cut of her earnings — to which she agreed.

She said Man X had driven her to the airport in Canada for her flight to Bermuda and asked her to check in a bag.

She said he claimed to have a friend in Bermuda who was sick and that the bag contained money for his medical bills.

Ms Charley denied knowing any other party of the alleged conspiracy and said she had no further possession of the bag after checking it in.

After the “sugar daddy” never materialised, Ms Charley was arrested when her messenger in Canada told her to return to the area of the airport where he claimed to have a contact.

Daniel Kitson-Walters, for the Crown, cast doubt on her story during cross-examination.

He told the jury that the defendant leaving the airport without the suitcase indicated she was knowingly involved.

Elizabeth Christopher, for the defence, disputed the prosecution’s version of events, telling the jury: “Just because she left a suitcase doesn’t mean she was part of an agreement to bring in a controlled drug.”

The 12 jurors found unanimously in her favour and Ms Charley was free to leave the court.

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