$26,000 worth of cocaine was in a speaker he brought into Bermuda.

Anthony Seymour, 31, of North Court Avenue, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he imported 83.1 grams of the cocaine and possessed it with intent to supply.

The Crown, represented by Charlene Scott, alleged that Seymour imported the cocaine inside a speaker box on December 21, 1994.

A Customs officer X-rayed the speaker and spotted the cocaine wrapped in a zip-lock bag.

Yesterday Seymour took the stand in his defence and told the six-woman, six-man jury that he left Bermuda, for New York, on December 14, 1994 with $900.

Seymour -- the owner of Audio Effects -- said he purchased a speaker box and a radio in New York which he was planning to sell upon his return to Bermuda.

He claimed that he stayed at a hotel for two days and then went to stay with a friend named George Louie Rosas in the Bronx.

Seymour said he took the speaker box with him to his friend's apartment and placed it in a hall closet until he returned to Bermuda.

But he admitted that he did go to a pawn shop to obtain extra money. And he traded in a watch and a ring for $700.

Upon landing in Bermuda, Seymour said he was taken to a screened area in the arrivals area of the airport where the speaker was searched by a Customs officer.

"The officer said it smelled of some sort of glue and I agreed,'' Seymour recalled. "I suggested we go X-ray it. I knew there was nothing in it.'' After seeing the image on the screen, Seymour said: "I think I'm going to have a bad day.'' "By looking at the screen I could see there was something foreign there,'' he added. "I didn't believe it was drugs. But I knew there was something there that was not of my intent.'' Under cross-examination by Ms Scott, Seymour maintained he had no knowledge of the drugs being in the speaker.

"I had no idea whatsoever, none,'' he claimed.

However, Seymour admitted he wrote on his Immigration card that he would be staying at the Embassy Suites Hotel while abroad, but instead he spent two nights at the Howard Johnson Hotel and then with Mr. Rosas.

Ch. Insp. Norrell Hull later testified Mr. Rosas was once arrested in connection with drugs.

"He was arrested at a local hotel,'' he said. "A substantial amount of money was found.'' But Mr. Rosas was never charged with any offence, Ch. Insp. Hull added.

Defence lawyer Richard Hector will begin his closing arguments today before Puisne Judge Vincent Meerabux.