The trial of a Norwegian Spirit cruise ship crew member continued yesterday with his ex-girlfriend and alleged accomplice taking the stand.

Jamaican national Andrew Laing, 33, is said to have been assisted by fellow crew member Teeteta Iereria — with whom he was in a relationship — to bring drug packages on the ship from New York. Laing has pleaded not guilty to three charges of conspiring to import 1,557 grams of cannabis, one of conspiring to import 60.06 grams of heroin and one of serious assault against Customs Officer Stacey Todd. The charges accuse him of being involved in the conspiracy with other people not before the court in addition to Iereria.

The Crown claims on two occasions in August and September 2006 the pair imported cannabis. It is also alleged they brought in both cannabis and heroin when the ship arrived in Dockyard on October 6.

On that date, the court has heard, Iereria was arrested and found with drugs on her person. According to Senior Crown counsel Paula Tyndale, Laing was detained by Special Constable Todd, but struck the officer and pushed her away.

He made his escape, but was arrested a month later at which point he denied the alleged crimes. During his cross examination of Iereria yesterday, Laing’s lawyer Mark Pettingill suggested to her that another man — Norman — with whom she was having an affair, was part of the importation.

But the nine-woman, three-man jury heard the witness tell the court that she couldn’t remember mentioning Norman in a lengthy Police interview on October 6. She said she told the officers that two men on the ship — members of a band — were involved but she didn’t know their names. Iereria told the court the plan she devised with Laing was he would leave the ship first, and she would follow with the drugs strapped onto her person.

She said the first and second time she didn’t feel calm, but was acting calm. “The third time, I’m calm. The first and second time, I tried to look calm.”

Mr. Pettingill asked Iereria if she considered herself a good actress but she disagreed.

Iereria told the court on the day of her arrest, she swiped out and left the ship because she thought Laing had left already. Mr. Pettingill told the court the time she swiped out was 12.07 p.m. Laing swiped in at 12.06 p.m. He asked Iereria how it is possible that she didn’t see Laing when she disembarked if there is only one exit and entrance for crew members. She said she never saw him.

The witness said once she left the ship, she was supposed to go to Snorkel Park but didn’t because she didn’t see the defendant anywhere. She said she felt angry and panicked.

Yesterday, Iereria told the court that Laing is still her main boyfriend but admitted to having had many boyfriends aboard the ship. She said she knew the defendant had a girlfriend but didn’t care because he was there with her. Mr. Pettingill suggested Iereria had ulterior motives for giving evidence. “I am suggesting to you the only reason you are giving this evidence is to look for a way to limit your own sentence.”

She disagreed, saying: “I’m hurt, I know he never loved me. I’m serving time so I want him to serve time. He exposed me to do this. I’m not jealous or in love with him anymore. I’m speaking the truth from the beginning until now.”

Officer Todd also took the stand to give her evidence.

She said she was working at the gangway when she first saw Iereria get off the boat. The only reason she noticed her was because she wore a dark sweat top and it wasn’t cold outside and decided to watch her.

“I walked away from the gangway and watched her. I saw something protruding from the left side of her sweat top,” she said. Officer Todd got permission from her colleague, Senior Customs Officer Timothy Hayward, to follow the suspect.

She said she got into an unmarked Customs vehicle and saw the woman go towards the Snorkel Park. She followed behind her but lost sight of her for a few moments. She saw her again few moments later with a man. Officer Todd said she followed the pair into the Clock Tower Mall near the Calypso store. “When they came out, I pulled out my Police warrant card and told them were going to be detained for a search under the Misuse of Drugs Act.”

“The man said ‘I’m not getting another search, I already had a search. I’m going to get something to eat’.”

The witness said the defendant bumped her chest with his to get past her. He did it again and told Iereria to run. She said the woman ran out the same way the pair entered. She also said the defendant pushed her again causing her to lose her balance and ran past her.

Officer Todd said she ran out of the mall after the woman and her colleague Det. Con. Telemaque joined the chase, eventually arresting the woman.

She was found with eight packages from around her waist. One contained a brown rocklike substance while the other seven contained plant like material.