England Star 'Smuggled Drugs In Drink Cans'
Former England cricketer Chris Lewis smuggled cocaine worth more than ?140,000 into Britain hidden in cans of fruit and vegetable juice, a court has heard.
Chris Lewis
Lewis played in 32 Tests and 53 one-day games for England
Lewis and basketball player Chad Kirnon are on trial accused of trying to bring a large amount of the drug into the UK through Gatwick Airport.
Lewis, 41, carried the drugs from St Lucia in a black Puma cricket bag, jurors
at Croydon Crown Court were told.
The pair were arrested after customs found 3.37kg of pure cocaine hidden in baggage on a flight from St Lucia on December 8 last year.
The court heard the men, who claimed to be travelling alone, were picked up independently by customs officers at the London airport.
Andrew Selby, prosecuting, said Lewis was stopped shortly after 5am.
"When the customs officer pulled him over, Mr Lewis stated that he was travelling alone and had been in St Lucia visiting friends and family," he said.
But when Lewis's luggage was inspected the Puma cricket bag was found to be
labelled with Mr Kirnon's name, Mr Selby told the court.
Lewis, 41, of Brent, northwest London, and 27-year-old Kirnon, of Islington, north London, both deny the charges.
Lewis, who was born in Guyana, played 32 Tests and 53 one-day internationals in the 1990s.
He claimed a total of 93 Test wickets and finished with a Test batting average of 23.
He retired from county cricket in 2000 because of a persistent hip injury following spells with Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Surrey.
Last year he rejoined Surrey to play in 20-over matches, but enjoyed little success.
Former England cricketer Chris Lewis smuggled cocaine worth more than ?140,000 into Britain hidden in cans of fruit and vegetable juice, a court has heard.
Chris Lewis
Lewis played in 32 Tests and 53 one-day games for England
Lewis and basketball player Chad Kirnon are on trial accused of trying to bring a large amount of the drug into the UK through Gatwick Airport.
Lewis, 41, carried the drugs from St Lucia in a black Puma cricket bag, jurors
at Croydon Crown Court were told.
The pair were arrested after customs found 3.37kg of pure cocaine hidden in baggage on a flight from St Lucia on December 8 last year.
The court heard the men, who claimed to be travelling alone, were picked up independently by customs officers at the London airport.
Andrew Selby, prosecuting, said Lewis was stopped shortly after 5am.
"When the customs officer pulled him over, Mr Lewis stated that he was travelling alone and had been in St Lucia visiting friends and family," he said.
But when Lewis's luggage was inspected the Puma cricket bag was found to be
labelled with Mr Kirnon's name, Mr Selby told the court.
Lewis, 41, of Brent, northwest London, and 27-year-old Kirnon, of Islington, north London, both deny the charges.
Lewis, who was born in Guyana, played 32 Tests and 53 one-day internationals in the 1990s.
He claimed a total of 93 Test wickets and finished with a Test batting average of 23.
He retired from county cricket in 2000 because of a persistent hip injury following spells with Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Surrey.
Last year he rejoined Surrey to play in 20-over matches, but enjoyed little success.