she received from former serviceman Oswald Farrel was merely a gift.

And once seeing the smaller taped packages inside the box, she thought Farrel was playing a joke.

She added in her Police statement: "I did not know what was in the box and I have never been involved in drugs.'' Webb, 27, is accused of using US Navy personnel and their Base post office boxes to import cocaine and cannabis into the Island.

The Sandys Parish resident denies conspiring with Farrel to import cocaine and cannabis, importing cocaine and cannabis and possessing those drugs intended for supply.

One package seized by Police contained 459 grams of cocaine with an 83 percent purity and a street value of $145,750 and 863 grams of cannabis with a street value of $43,150.

Yesterday Det. Con. Rudolph Richardson read from a Police statement made by Webb.

When asked about the package that was delivered to her at St. Brendan's Hospital Webb replied: "I opened the box. It was a gift from Oswald Farrel, a friend that I had met at the McDonald's restaurant on the Base about a month ago (September 1993). He gave me the package because he liked me. There were three packages inside but I did not open them. I thought it was a joke and I was going to show the switchboard operator.'' When asked by Police why she had denied receiving the package Webb said: "I received a box not a package.'' Webb also said that when Farrel arrived in a taxi at the hospital he handed her the package and told her to open it.

Det. Con Richardson also questioned Webb about the phone conversations she had with Farrel before he delivered the package.

"Farrel told me on the phone that he had something for me and I told him to come to me because I couldn't go out. While we were on the phone I told Farrel to go to a pay phone because I did not like talking on a cellular phone because there was no privacy.'' But Det. Con Richardson said: "I put it to you that you knew drugs were in the package and you were fearful someone else would hear the conversation.'' When asked why she did not take the package to her desk to open it instead of in another room Webb replied: "There were too many papers on my desk and I was working in both rooms.'' And when Det. Con. Richardson suggested that the drugs were for Everett Wellman, a friend of Webb's, she replied: "He doesn't even know Oswald Farrel.'' Webb also denied ever knowing serviceman Carl Storey who admitted importing drugs for Webb before he introduced her to Farrel.

The trial continues today before Puisne Judge the Hon. Justice Ground.