A Supreme Court jury was shown six “bricks” of a compressed plantlike material during the trial yesterday of a man charged with importing cannabis and cocaine into the island.

Alexta Gill, a foreign national, is charged with importing 9,472 grammes of cannabis and 800 grammes of liquid cocaine when he arrived on the island with his girlfriend in March 2023.

On the opening day of the trial yesterday, Khadija Beddeau, for the Crown, told the court in her opening address that Mr Gill flew to the island with Jhordan George-Horsford on March 2, 2023 on a WestJet flight from Toronto.

However, Ms Beddeau said that one of their two suitcases did not make the flight and only arrived on the island two days later on an Air Canada flight.

The bag was searched on arrival and, along with men’s clothes, customs officials noticed six heat-sealed packages wrapped in black plastic.

Tests later revealed that a whisky bottle contained liquid cocaine with a street value of more than $200,000.

She added that the jury would hear that the bag belonged to Mr Gill and that he told police he had been asked to bring drugs into Bermuda.

Customs officer Macio Talbot, testifying for the Crown, was on duty at LF Wade International Airport on March 4 when the suitcase arrived — two days after Mr Gill and Ms George-Horsford.

Mr Talbot said that the bag was searched by a colleague at a secondary inspection zone because it was “late luggage”.

When the packages were found, Mr Talbot took the suitcase to a secure area and stayed with it until it could be handed over to police.

Nicole Smith, representing the defendant, asked Mr Talbot if the packages were “pretty big”.

“They were noticeable,” he replied.

The officer also agreed with Ms Smith that the packages had not been concealed in the lining of the suitcase.

Ms Smith then asked: “If this bag came in as late luggage on March 4 and the person arrived on March 2, you can’t account for the movement of that luggage during that two-day period can you?”

Mr Talbot replied: “Certainly not, no.”

Pc Denise Rodney of the Bermuda Police Service was also called as a witness by the Crown.

The officer testified that she took possession of the suitcase at the airport and took it to the police station at Southside, where she helped a forensics officer process it.

Ms Rodney confirmed that the suitcase contained the six heat-sealed packages and clothing. She said that she also removed a bottle of whisky “with suspicious liquid inside”.

Ms Beddeau introduced the suitcase and its contents as prosecution exhibits.

Ms Rodney was then asked to show the contents — including all six heat-sealed bags and the bottle of whisky — to the jury.

The articles of clothing consisted mainly of sweatpants and matching hoodies, along with a pair of jeans, a corduroy jacket two T-shirts and a pair of denim shorts.

Under cross-examination by Ms Smith, Ms Rodney confirmed that a label was attached to the suitcase.

Asked by Ms Smith to read the name on the label, Ms Rodney said: “George Horsford/J”.

The trial, before Puisne Judge Juan Wolffe, continues.

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