?Kill him and kill them both? was written in a letter intercepted by the US Department of Homeland Security and addressed to Vernon Berkley in Kingston and allegedly sent by Kenneth Durrant in Bermuda.

Kenneth Sinclair Durrant, 53 of Ord Road, Warwick, and Javon Ernest Gardner, 27, of Crossfield Lane, Sandys, have pleaded not guilty to conspiring with Vernon Berkley to kill Det. Sgt. Arthur Glasford, Det. Con. Terry Trott, Det. Con. Llewellyn Edwards, Sharrieff Wales and Dion Ford in Bermuda and elsewhere on or before November 29, 2004.

In addition, the pair have denied attempting to pervert the course of justice on or before November 29.

If found guilty of conspiracy to murder the maximum sentence would be life.

?Kill him and kill them both it said, referring to what appeared to be Police Officers and civilian witnesses in an ongoing matter in Bermuda,? deputy attach? to the US embassy in Jamaica, Douglas Brian Bruce, said in Supreme Court yesterday.

Mr. Bruce also said the package contained $1,900 in $50 and $100 American bills.

Customs Officer Fitz Barry Payne said he intercepted a package sent from Bermuda to Jamaica at the UPS sorting hub in Louisville, Kentucky on November 30, 2004.

?There was cash and a handwritten note with the cash,? Mr. Payne said. ?I went ahead and seized it and it was put in a vault.?

Mr. Payne told Senior Crown counsel Carrington Mahoney he would be able to recognise the letter because of its content including the words ?Kill them now? ? however, he was stopped from speaking further by Durrant?s lawyer, John Perry QC, who objected to the letter being read in court, saying even a slight inflection in Mr. Payne?s voice might prejudice his client.

Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves agreed, and the ten-woman, two-man jury was shown a written copy of the letter instead.

Evidence Officer of the US Immigration and Customs Department, Kevin Michael Crawford, said he shipped the intercepted package to Charles Jean at the US embassy in Jamaica via the US State Department in a diplomatic pouch.

Special Agent Stephen Smith said the package was sent to Mr. Jean so that Jamaican Police could arrest the recipient of the package.

Mr. Jean said the package arrived at the US embassy in Jamaica on December 13, 2004, but as the envelope had been torn open, he repackaged it so it would not be suspicious.

He also said he contacted Supt. Cornwall Ford of the Jamaican Police?s ?flying squad? to assist.

And on December 14, 2004, two detectives of the Bermuda Police Service visited Jamaica to assist in interviews, he said.

Jamaica?s deputy postmaster general Carolle Margaret Hainsley said she was approached by Supt. Ford to assist in the delivery.

Durrant is also represented by defence lawyer Craig Attridge and Gardner is represented by Victoria Pearman and Charles Richardson.

Crown counsel Cindy Clarke also appears for the prosecution.

The trial continues today.