A jury heard how almost $1.3 million of cannabis was found in a suitcase, as the trial of a Canadian national began in the Supreme Court.

Sandra Marrero-Guzman, 37, from Toronto, has denied conspiring with others to bring cannabis into Bermuda and possessing cannabis with intent to supply on June 20 last year.

Khadija Beddeau, for the Crown, told the court that Ms Marrero-Guzman arrived on an Air Canada flight on June 20 but anomalies were discovered in her checked suitcase when it was scanned.

When the luggage was opened, officers discovered 29 heat-sealed packages containing 12,876g of cannabis.

Ms Beddeau said Ms Marrero-Guzman admitted to police that the bag had been given to her to bring into Bermuda, while phone evidence showed that she was actively involved in planning to bring the drugs to the island.

As her trial opened yesterday, Ryan Marshall, a customs officer, told the court that on the afternoon of June 20 he was in the baggage-claim area when he spotted Ms Marrero-Guzman among arriving passengers.

Mr Marshall said: “I observed a lady, a female passenger, who appeared to be moving swiftly and directly towards the belts and then proceeded towards the exit once she had collected her luggage.”

He said that he viewed her behaviour as unusual, as most visitors look around or go to the duty-free shop, prompting him to approach the officer at the control point and request that she be sent for secondary inspection.

Mr Marshall said she was sent to him a minute or two later, adding that he noticed unusual features when her checked suitcase was X-rayed.

He explained: “The items on the screen seemed uniform, as in there was only one sort of item inside the entire bag. Usually luggage would have a variety of items like shoes and clothing.”

Mr Marshall added that the scan also suggested the objects in the suitcase were made up of “organic material”.

He said he spoke with Ms Marrero-Guzman, who told him that she was on her first trip to Bermuda and planned to stay at the Sandpiper Guest Apartments for seven days.

Mr Marshall said the defendant indicated that she had packed her carry-on, but when asked about her checked luggage, she replied: “My friend packed it a week ago.”

He said Ms Marrero-Guzman also indicated that she could not open a lock on the checked suitcase, which he had to cut off to open the bag.

When he looked inside, Mr Marshall said he saw what appeared to be packages of plant material.

He added: “I don’t recall anything in the suitcase besides the packages.”

Mr Marshall said he asked the defendant if she had proof of a reservation at Sandpiper Guest Apartments, but she said she did not and that she was supposed to meet someone on the island.

Asked who, she responded: “Everyone just calls him Joe.”

Later that afternoon, he said he asked Ms Marrero-Guzman to complete a Customs Traveller Declaration and, when she did, he noticed that she had ticked a box indicating that she was bringing in goods that did not belong to her.

Asked what goods she was bringing in, she pointed towards the checked luggage and said: “That.”

The jury were also shown CCTV footage from LF Wade International Airport, with Mr Marshall identifying both himself and the defendant in the baggage area.

The footage showed Ms Marrero-Guzman walk directly to the baggage belt and walk towards the exit with a black suitcase. She initially walked towards the “red lane”, intended for those with something to declare, before going down the “green lane” for those with nothing to declare.

Mr Marshall told the court that travellers bringing in items belonging to someone else should travel through the red lane.

Detective Constable Dawn Hector told the court that she was among several police officers to attend LF Wade International Airport after the drugs were discovered.

She told the court that Ms Marrero-Guzman told the officers the suitcase had been given to her at the airport in Toronto and she did not even notice that it was locked until she was asked to unlock it.

Ms Hector testified that the defendant said she was handed the suitcase by someone she described as dark and slim. She told the officers: “I literally got out of the car, took the bag and checked in.”

She also told officers that a friend had helped her to pay for the ticket to the island.

Under cross-examination by Susan Mulligan, for Ms Marrero-Guzman, Ms Hector confirmed that the defendant had answered all questions and provided officers with the passcodes for her phones.

The trial continues.

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