juice and syrup impounded by suspicious Customs officers, a court was told yesterday.

And when Police and Customs searched the home of a couple accused of being behind smuggling cannabis worth $12 million into Bermuda, they found more than $40,000 in US bills stashed in a ceiling cavity.

Karen and Orion Tuzo, both of Boundary Lane, St. George's, both deny importation and possession of cannabis with intent to supply on March 22, last year.

The case is being re-heard in the Supreme Court after Puisne Judge, the Hon.

Mr. Justice Ground discharged the jury last month when it was revealed two of the jurors had previous drug convictions.

During the second day of the new trial yesterday, Customs Officer, Mr. Eugene Simmons said he inspected four of the 15 large crates carrying the juice and syrup.

"I picked up one tin, shook it and heard a sloshing sound of liquid. I picked up another tin, shook it, but heard no sloshing sound,'' said Mr. Simmons.

The crates were consigned to jewellers, Astwood Dickinson, and all the paperwork was in the name of Karen Tuzo, but the court was told that another man, Michael Pond, was waiting to collect the boxes. Astwood Dickinson had nothing to do with the order.

"I asked who was to pick up the shipment and Mr. Pond said he was. I told him I would like to inspect it,'' added Mr. Simmons. He took some of the crates to an X-ray room and saw that some had gaps in the bottom of the tins.

He opened one and found a package which had a strong smell of cannabis, Mr.

Simmons told the court.

The Police took the 15 boxes away and later that evening a search warrant was secured for Tuzos' house.

Police and Customs searched the home after being let in by the Tuzos and in the bedroom found a piece of paper with three numbers written on it, one of which matched the Airway billing for the consignment of boxes.

Mr. Simmons searched the kitchen and climbed into a cavity above the ceiling where he found a canister, inside which was $43,951 in US bills.

"Mrs. Tuzo denied any knowledge of the money, but Mr. Tuzo admitted it was his money saying he did not know how much there was and that he had worked for it,'' said Mr. Simmons.

Mr. Tuzo was arrested at his home, on March 22, on suspicion of importing a drug and was taken to a Police station.

Later Police and Customs officers picked up Pond and took him and Tuzo to the Police compound where they started to open the tins. Altogether the shipment contained 1,415 tins and 603 contained a plant material, said Mr. Simmons.

The trial continues.