A man accused of importing $500,000 worth of cannabis in a freezer repeatedly asked when the item would be ready for pick-up, a BEST Shipping employee told a Supreme Court jury yesterday.

Jamal Hart is accused of importing the 24 pounds worth of cannabis on or about July 13, 2003. It is alleged that Customs officers discovered the drugs in a freezer Hart imported.

BEST Shipping employee Alynn Pitcher said Hart, who was logistics manager for The HWP Group, repeatedly sent emails and left messages inquiring when the freezer would be ready for pick-up.

Ms Pitcher said she grew frustrated and informed him that as soon as it was ready she would contact him. Before he could pick up the freezer it was necessary for Customs to fill a verification form confirming only one item was on the freight container ? despite an invoice stating four were purchased, she said. Hart told her that Roger Smith, the man bringing the freezer in care of HWP, had already brought the other items in via the Airport.

Hart asked if he could speed up the process and take the form over, which she said was unusual. Nevertheless she complied. When Hart returned the following day with a form stating the freezer had been verified and cleared by Her Majesty's Customs she said she was surprised.

Under cross examination Defence counsel Victoria Pearman questioned her about specific dates in her Police statement but Ms Pitcher maintained she had given a true account to Police from notes she made at the time. She also maintained that she had informed Hart that his forms had two different addresses for Roger Smith, one on 9 Beach Road and the other on Benevides Lane, Southampton.

The woman, Selange Saltus, who lives in 9 Beach Road, told the jury yesterday that she did not know Hart. She also said she did not know a Roger Smith. Earlier in the trial Roger Smith said he had not seen Hart in several years, did not work for HWP and did not purchase a freezer at any time.

BEST Shipping CEO David Sousa also took the stand yesterday. He told the jury that Police officers watched over the freezer until it was picked up. Mr. Sousa said he called Hart to inform him it was ready for pick up and that the company was closing early at the behest of an officer.

Hart said he would get in touch with Roger Smith, who was waiting for his phone call, Mr. Sousa said. "

He said a driver arrived at approximately 3 p.m. and informed the company he was there to pick up a freezer for Roger Smith. Mr Sousa said he went down to the storage area to help the man put the freezer on the truck and that he saw the man talking to Hart.

"I asked the driver to give me a hand putting the freezer on the truck," he said. "We secured it and that was the last I saw of him."

Ms Pearman will start her cross examination today. Hart, 38, of Farm Lane, denies the charges.