Prosecutors closed their case against a man accused of smuggling drugs into Bermuda yesterday with the jury hearing more about his movements after he arrived on the island.

Alexta Gill, a Guyanese national, has denied charges that he imported cannabis and cocaine into the island on March 4, 2023.

The court heard that he arrived on the island with Jhordan George-Horsford on a flight from Toronto on March 2. However, one of their suitcases did not make the flight and arrived in Bermuda two days later.

A search of the bag revealed six “bricks” of plant material later confirmed to be 9,472.6 grammes of cannabis and a bottle of whisky, which was found to contain liquid cocaine, from which 812.4g of the controlled drug was extracted.

Mr Gill was later arrested and during a police interview said that he had agreed to bring a suitcase to the island for someone named “Andre” to clear a debt after receiving death threats.

He said that he was subsequently given an empty suitcase and was told not to worry about its contents.

Mr Gill told police he believed that Andre had connections at Toronto Pearson Airport, but he did not know them or have any contact with them.

As the trial continued this week, the court heard evidence from Acting Detective Inspector Mark Raposo, who told the court that he was assigned to assist with the investigation after the drugs were discovered on March 4.

He told the court that he was among the officers who carried out a search of a hotel room at Four Ways Inn where Mr Gill was staying, seizing several items including travel documents and a blue duffel bag, which contained clothing.

He said that he and Detective Sergeant Dré Wilkinson arrested both Mr Gill and Ms George-Horsford at the hotel at about 8.30pm on March 5.

Mr Raposo said that he and Mr Wilkinson were sat in an unmarked police car when they noticed a male and female get out of a taxi and approached them, identifying themselves as police officers.

He said that he approached Mr Gill, who initially gave a fake name before providing identification under his actual name.

“I don’t recall what name he said, bit it was definitely not Alexta Gill,” Mr Raposo said.

Mr Gill was arrested and taken to Hamilton Police Station, where Mr Raposo said a search unveiled a quantity of plant material, later confirmed to be 9.71g of cannabis, and a grinder.

Mr Raposo said that as part of the investigation he also attended the LF Wade International Airport, where he reviewed CCTV footage from March 2, but was unable to download a copy because of a “system error”.

He told the court that in the footage he saw Mr Gill and Ms George-Horsford leave the airport with a duffel bag and a black suitcase, which they placed in the back of a taxi.

However, the pair were then approached by someone who came from the direction of the short-term parking area. They took the bags out of the taxi and walked in the direction of the parking area.

Mr Raposo noted that while the pair were seen with a black suitcase, no such suitcase was found during the search of the hotel room at Four Ways Inn.

Under cross-examination, Mr Raposo confirmed that the video did not have audio so he could not say what was discussed between the defendant, the taxi driver and the man who approached from the parking area.

He also accepted that he would have thought it would be prudent to make inquiries with staff at the Toronto Pearson Airport as part of the investigation, but said it would be “less urgent” if the suspect had confessed.

The jury was also provided records from the Four Ways Inn, which showed Mr Gill and Ms George-Horsford checked into the hotel on the afternoon of March 3, the day after they arrived on the island.

The court heard that the packages of cannabis were swabbed and tested for DNA, but both Mr Gill and Ms George-Horsford were excluded as potential DNA donors.

The trial continues.

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