Shadow Health Minister Michael Dunkley took to the stand in Supreme Court yesterday in the trial of three men charged with conspiracy to import 120 pounds of cannabis in October, 2003.

Two former Dunkley's Dairy employees, Stephen Flood, 39, and Michael Madeiros, 41, and another man Maurice Stovell, 37, are accused of plotting to conceal the drugs in a Dunkley's Dairy container shipped from the United States on October 23.

Crown counsel Paula Tyndale alleged on Monday that Madeiros was the operation's "ringleader" while Flood and Stovell were responsible for handling the boxes once they arrived on the Island.

US Customs officials initially detected the drugs hidden in small white containers from American design suppliers Vector Graphics, which were themselves stored in six large brown boxes. In collaboration with the Bermuda Police Service, an eight-pound portion was then allowed to reach the Island.

The court had earlier heard that Flood runs his own design business named Locomotion Graphics as well as working full time for Dunkley's Dairy, and had in the past ordered the supplies he needed through Vector Graphics.

Flood had obtained company permission to use the dairy's container space to import his business supplies, thereby avoiding freight charges.

Mr. Dunkley, who is the dairy's chief executive officer, said he had known Madeiros and Flood for approximately 15 years and had acted as a friend and occasional confidante during that period.

"We had a very good relationship," he said under questioning from the Crown.

That relationship was soured, however, on October 21, 2003, when Mr. Dunkley was contacted by Police at home, who informed him of the attempted importation and the suspected protagonists.

He agreed to cooperate with the Police surveillance operation, he said, while he informed members of dairy staff to do likewise.

As part of the agreement with Police, two security cameras were installed the night before the tainted container was due to arrive, while two narcotics officers hid on the property to monitor movements on the loading dock floor on the morning of October 24.

And although he was required to be off the Island at that time, Mr. Dunkley was kept informed by his brother and dairy general manager, Stephen, as events unfolded. He also issued the instruction that both Madeiros and Flood should be asked to leave their company-provided accommodation at Belmer Drive in Devonshire "once they had been apprehended in relation to this case".

Mr. Dunkley will resume his testimony this morning before Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves and the nine woman, three man jury, where he will eventually be cross-examined by defence counsel Mark Pettingill.