The Supreme Court trial of international cross-country runner Jamal Hart continued yesterday with evidence that Police seized a BJ Warehouse receipt for a freezer from his office.

The prosecution has alleged that Hart imported 10,953 grams of cannabis with a value of $547,650 to Bermuda hidden in a freezer on or about July 13 2003. Hart, 38, of Farm Lane, Hamilton Parish, has pleaded not guilty.

Yesterday, a seven-woman, four-man jury heard a statement from narcotics detective Det. Con. Ihab Azab that he searched Hart?s office on July 20, 2003.

?At approximately 12.30 p.m. on the same day we left the Hamilton Police Station and arrived at the defendant?s office, he was shown a warrant and the defendant replied, ?Yes?,? Det. Con. Azab?s statement said. ?A search was performed and a number of documents were seized, including a receipt from BJ Warehouse.?

He said when Hart was showed this receipt, he said ?No comment?.

Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves said the BJ Warehouse receipt was highlighted and had a freezer on it.

Less than two hours later, Police searched Hart?s home.

?Around 2.15 p.m. we arrived at the defendant?s residence,? his statement said. ?We showed the warrant to the defendant. Det. Con. Woolridge went to the bathroom and seized Dove Soap and Oral-B toothbrushes consistent with the invoice with the freezer that he attempted to clear through Customs.?

Hart again offered a ?no comment? statement about these items, he said.

It was revealed earlier in the trial that the freezer was declared to be for a Roger Smith of Somerset, care of HWP. However, Mr. Smith said he did not work for HWP and did not purchase a freezer at any time.

?There is no employee with that name in the group of companies,? Jocene Wade, human resource director for Hart?s employer in 2003, New Venture Holdings Limited, said yesterday.

Ms Wade also said New Venture Holdings included HWP Group, CCS Group, Elite Group of Companies, Air Care and Mechanical Solutions. Hart came highly recommended for the position of senior manager of procurement and shipping, she said, as she helped to interview him in November 2002. Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Victoria Pearman, Ms Wade said the job was not even advertised and she was not aware of any complaints against Hart ?performance wise? and he was ?going along well?. She also agreed that his role at New Venture Holdings was primarily to get items to Bermuda, rather than deciding which items to buy. Trevor Cowan, a senior network consultant employed by HWP, gave evidence that he received a phone call from the CEO of HWP on July 19, 2003 which resulted in him disabling Hart?s access to the company computer system.

He later took copies of the contents of the defendant?s e-mail inbox and files he had stored on his personal directory. These were placed onto a CD-Rom and passed to the Police.

The case continues.