worth more than $100,000 had been friends since childhood.

But a trip to Jamaica in October, 1993 turned sour when the pair were arrested at the Civil Air Terminal for drugs found in a bag allegedly belonging to them.

Sharon Tyrell, 50, and Jacqueline Brangman, 51, both of St. George's, have pleaded not guilty to drugs importation and possession with intent to supply.

In separate interviews with Police and Customs officers at the airport, Brangman and Tyrell denied ever seeing a grey bag which was left unclaimed at the baggage carousel on October 23 1993.

A search of the bag revealed more than two kilograms of cannabis stashed in the inner lining of a blue jacket.

But a luggage tag bearing the signature of Sharon Tyrell and the corresponding claim ticket -- attached to Brangman's ticket folder, allegedly link them to the drugs, the prosecution claims.

Yesterday, senior Customs officer Laverne Richardson said she saw the pair enter the baggage hall at the Airport following the arrival of an American Airlines evening flight from New York.

Brangman, she said, took a green bag and moved toward the Customs inspection area.

As Tyrell waited by the carousel, Richardson took her aside for questioning.

"I asked Tyrell where were the other two bags?'' Richardson said. "She said, "Jackie has one and we didn't check in another''.'' Tyrell was then informed she was being paged by the airline for an unclaimed bag.

She collected the bag accompanied by Customs officers, but denied it was hers, even though an attached baggage claim tag bore her name and signature.

Richardson searched the bag and found a blue jacket with an inner lining lying on top of womens' and childrens' clothing.

"It felt heavy. I felt there was something inside of it,'' Richardson said.

Closer inspection revealed three packages of plant material wrapped in fabric softener and stashed in another lining.

Earlier yesterday Det. Con. Randolf Liverpool read statements taken from Brangman following her arrest. Tyrell was interviewed separately by another officer, he said.

Brangman, a supermarket cash supervisor, said she left Bermuda on October 13 for a trip to Jamaica with her friend, Sharon Tyrell.

Returning to Bermuda via New York they together checked in one bag each at JFK airport, Brangman said.

She said she did not know how three baggage claim tickets came to be on her ticket.

"I have no knowledge of any drugs. I do not deal with drugs. I don't even smoke,'' she said in her statement.

Det. Con. Liverpool pointed out a marking on the bag that had excited his suspicion.

Frequently, bags intended for interception by airport personnel were marked similarly or with a ribbon.

Tyrell's lawyer, Mr. Philip Perinchief in cross-examination asked Det. Con.

Liverpool if he was responsible for the drugs in the bag.

"Definitely not,'' Liverpool replied.

Yesterday an American Airlines employee testified he placed tags on each of three bags checked in by Brangman and Tyrell at JFK.

But he admitted he could not identify the specific bags.

Brangman is defended by Mr. Archie Warner. Mr. Khamisi Tokunbo and Mr. Melvin Douglas act for the Crown. The case continues before Chief Justice the Hon.

Mr. Justice Ward today.