A narcotics detective appeared in Magistrates' Court yesterday charged with conspiring to import drugs into Bermuda.

Detective Constable Clifford Stanley Roberts, 32, of Headquarters Hill, Devonshire, faced five drug-related charges going back to 1999.

Director of Public Prosecutions Khamisi Tokunbo is prosecuting the case and made a rare appearance in Magistrates' Court to read the charges.

The Police officer is charged with conspiring, together with Robert Tucker and David Humphries, to import cocaine into Bermuda from the US sometime between January 1 and July 20 last year.

Between August of 2000 and October 25 that year, he is charged with conspiring, along with Robert Tucker, to import heroin into the Island from Nigeria. Between January 1 and May 20 last year, Roberts is accused of conspiring, again with Robert Tucker, to import a controlled drug into the Island in the name of The First Church of God.

The accused is alleged to have conspired, with Robert Tucker and Holister Isaacs, to import cocaine into Bermuda sometime during August 1999 and March 20 2000. And on March 18, 2000, Roberts is accused of importing cocaine into the Island.

All of the charges are indictable and will be dealt with in the Supreme Court, so Roberts was not asked to enter a plea to any of them.

Roberts' defence lawyer Chan Foley said that sureties of up to $40,000 each had been offered by Harold Darrell and Deborah Saltus. Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves released the accused on $40,000 bail, with two sureties, on condition that he surrender all travel documents and report to Hamilton Police Station every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The case was adjourned until November 15 for mention.