A disabled man tried to smuggle over four pounds of freebase cocaine into Bermuda hidden inside the frame of his wheelchair, a court heard yesterday.

Jamaican Patrick Joseph Scarlett is accused of importing the drug after arriving on an American Airlines flight last October.

Customs officers discovered the drugs after they drilled a hole in the wheelchair, revealing a powder which was then heated up, with tests revealing it was freebase cocaine.

The drugs had an estimated street value of between $200,000 and $600,000.

Customs Officer Terry Anne Smith spent the morning recounting to a Supreme Court jury the events leading up to the arrest of Scarlett on the night of October 24 last year.

She gave evidence that Scarlett arrived at Bermuda International Airport aboard American Airline flight 1444 from New York City.

The defendant, who has no use of his legs, was being wheeled into the Customs hall when Officer Smith inspected his travel documents and immigration papers. She testified that among his documents was a piece of paper with the name Anthony Dyer, along with a local address and telephone number. He was subsequently taken to an inspection room, where an ion scan of his hands, bags and wheelchair tested positive for traces of cocaine.

Scarlett's chair was then x-rayed, although the image was unclear.

Throughout her testimony, Officer Smith said that Scarlett denied any knowledge of drugs being in the chair.

The court also heard that when the accused was informed that a hole was going to be drilled in his chair as part of a search, his response was: "I cannot allow you to drill a hole in the chair."

According to Officer Smith, when the hole was drilled, arresting officers noticed there was white powder on the end of the drill bit. When asked what he had to say about this, Officer Smith said the defendant replied: "I don't know anything about this."

Officer Smith also testified that during the course of the night Scarlett's bag was searched and he was was x-rayed at the hospital with both searches turning up nothing.

As testimony continued, the jury was told that Scarlett said that he was on the Island to visit Anthony Dyer, a man who he had known for three months.

Dyer, and another man, Freeman Brangman, were arrested at the airport in connection with the case, but were subsequently released.

According to Government analyst Christine Quigley, a solid brownish coloured substance was compacted in metal tubing within the frame of the wheelchair. Ms Quigley testified that after the chair was dismantled she was able to heat the framing, thus melting the substance which she found to be freebase cocaine.

The trial continues this morning before Assistant Justice Charles-Etta Simmons. Anthony Blackman is representing the Crown.