money out of Bermuda began on Friday in Magistrates' Court.

Sonia Marie Evans, 38 of Plantation, Florida, and Andrea Clare Symes, 33, of Bronx, New York, are accused of attempting to export $19,474.00 in US funds out of Bermuda on May 15.

Crown Counsel Mr. Brian Calhoun, prosecuting, questioned US Customs inspector Bruce Coulliette about his role in the matter.

Coulliette told the court that the defendants were passengers waiting to leave on American Airlines flight 1443, bound for New York at 7 a.m. on the morning of May 15.

He stopped Evans for routine questions, and decided that her luggage should be searched. Evans followed him to the secondary customs desk, and Symes came with her.

Coulliette told the court that he asked both women the amount of money on them, and Evans said that she only had $500. But a package was found in her hand luggage and seemed to contain a large amount of cash.

He said: "I once again asked Ms Evans how much money she had, and she said only $500. At that point I referred her to Customs Inspector Kook, who escorted Evans to a search room for a currency verification.'' While Evans was being questioned, Coulliette said he questioned Symes, who declared that she had $5,000. Symes removed a package from her coat pocket similar to the one Coulliette found on Evans, and said that was all she had on her.

Symes said that the money had been given to her by friends in Bermuda for her to use to shop with in the United States, and that she would be bringing the goods back to Bermuda.

Coulliette said: "I found her story to be believable, and allowed her to clear Customs.'' While Evans was being questioned, she was found to be carrying $9,450. Symes was brought back to the Customs area, and informed that she would be subject to a search.

US Customs officer Judy Kook confirmed Mr. Coulliette's testimony, saying that during her search of Evans, accompanied by Bermuda Customs officer Ms Karen Bean, she found two bundles of cash in Evans' handbag, wrapped in a plastic zip-lock bag, and concealed in a white shower cap.

One of the bundles was wrapped with an elastic band and a piece of paper with "$5,000'' written on it. Kook said that Evans told her the money came from an Alexander Keeble in Bermuda, with whom she was partnered in an auto accessory business.

The money was counted by Kook, Coulliette and Bean, and totalled $9,450. The court heard that Symes had also been searched in another room by the officers, and the amount of money found on her totalled $10,020. Symes then told the officers that she had been contacted by a Gloria Cox, a Bermudian living in New York, who had asked her to collect the money. At this point both women were turned over to Det. Cons. Ronald Greene.

Customs Officer Bean was called to the stand, and corroborated the testimony.

Lawyer Mr. Archie Warner, defending, cross-examined Coulliette, and asked him if American citizens were restricted as to the amount of money that they could bring into the country.

Coulliette said: "No, there are no restrictions, but you must declare it if you carry an amount more than $10,000. While we are enforcing the laws of the United States, we also look for violations of Bermuda law.'' Mr. Warner called Maxwell Hart to the stand as a defence witness.

Hart told the court that he was a manager in the music business, and had contracted with Claude Evans to put on a reggae concert here in Bermuda, which was subsequently cancelled. Hart was given a $20,000 deposit, and was required to return it when the concert plans fell through.

Hart told the court that he had been contacted by Evans to hand over the deposit to his wife, who would be coming to Bermuda to pick the money up.

Acting Magistrate, the Wor. Edwin King adjourned the case until June 3. He released the women's travel documents, and bailed them in the sum of $1,500.