A British national accused of importing heroin in photographs began his Supreme Court trial on Monday.

A five man, seven woman jury was selected for the trial of Martin Cashman, 50, who has pleaded not guilty to possession and importation of heroin.

Cashman was stopped at the Bermuda International Airport on October 5 after arriving on a British Airways flight.

Janita Hendrickson, a trainee customs officer (TCO) at the time, took the stand on Monday and explained how she had searched the contents of Cashman's bag.

Upon examination, Ms Hendrickson said she saw a Manila envelope on the top. She summoned Detective Constable David Bhagwan, a narcotics officer, who instructed her to open the envelope. Inside she found 16 laminated photographs depicting scenes of Britain.

"I looked at a picture of the Queen and her husband and I saw a brown substance fall on the sides where it was laminated. I was instructed to open up this picture. I ran my finger down where the laminate was already coming apart. I ran it straight down the side and as I opened it between the picture and the laminate there was off-brown paper. I shook the picture and the brown-like substance started to fall out," explained Ms Hendrickson.

When asked by Cashman's lawyer, Richard Hector, she told the court that the picture of the Queen and her husband felt "abnormal in weight and not consistent with the other pictures".

He questioned if Ms Hendrikson had been in contact with many laminated items before, to which she replied that she had seen place mats and souvenirs similar to the 16 pictures.

In court yesterday, Det. Con. Bhagwan said he instructed Ms Hendrickson to search the bag. He told the court a reading on the ion scan machine came up positive and also the defendants answers to questions prompted him to search his luggage.

Det. Con. Bhagwan said: "The defendant wasn't one of the most cooperative people I have met."

Cashman told the officer he had no packages or gifts for anyone in Bermuda.

But Cashman would later cooperate with Police to help with a sting operation, Mr. Hector said.

The defendant didn't know the name of the person who was supposed to pick up the package but told Det. Con. Bhagwan that someone was supposed to come to the hotel to collect it.

Cashman was taken to Brightside Guest Apartments where he originally thought he had reservations, but the officers then took him to Dawkins Manor Apartments because no reservations had been made at Brightside.

"He went to this other hotel to continue with the sting operation," Det. Con. Bhagwan said.

Cashman handed over a cell phone with a name and telephone number stored in it.

Once at Dawkins, Cashman called the number and spoke with Norman Fraser, the man he alleged gave him the packages. He was given a local telephone number and told to call "Bobby".

Cashman called "Bobby" but then informed Police he had told the man he was tired and needed to get some rest. He was then instructed to call the man at midnight. When Cashman called the number at the arranged time, it registered as disconnected.

After several attempts to call the local phone number the sting operation was called off after only a voice mail system picked up. Cashman was taken back to the Police station.

"You said that you did not consider him cooperative in anyway, what would you call all that he did for you?" Mr. Hector asked.

Det. Con. Bhagwan said between Brightside and Dawkins, Cashman had helped "facilitate a controlled delivery".

The Crown is represented by Vinette Graham-Allen. The case, before Assistant Justice Archibald Warner continues today.