ST JAMES, Jamaica — Fifty-two-year-old Thomas Edwards in whose luggage $18.7 million worth of cocaine was discovered says he had no idea the contraband was in his suitcase. He claims the suitcase was purchased by a casual acquaintance after his original one was damaged on his way to Jamaica.

Edwards’ local address is Hatfield, Manchester but he lives in the UK.

On Wednesday he pleaded not guilty to possession of, dealing in, attempting to export, and conspiracy to export eight-and-three-quarter pounds of cocaine.

He was offered bail in the sum of $1.2 million following a successful application by his attorney Martyn Thomas in the St James Parish Court.

During Edwards’ bail hearing, Thomas told presiding judge Kaysha Grant-Pryce that his client was unaware of the presence of the contraband in his suitcase at the time of his arrest.

According to Thomas, his client travelled to Jamaica for vacation and his suitcase was damaged while in transit. He stated that a family member assisted him in acquiring a new suitcase, and that someone known only as Markus, who runs errands for them, was asked to purchase the replacement. The court was told that Markus was not personally known to his client.

“He is someone he has seen around the house since he has been there,” Thomas explained, noting that the drug was discovered when his client arrived at the airport.

Thomas further informed the court that they are currently cooperating with the police to assist in a particular aspect of the investigation, with the hope of yielding positive results. The attorney also noted that Edwards has no criminal record, and that he has been cooperating with the authorities since he was detained on May 22.

During the proceedings it was also noted that several documents are currently outstanding from the prosecution’s file, including a forensic certificate, a scene-of-crime statement along with a CD, and a justice of the peace statement.

As part of his $1.2 million bail condition, Grant-Pryce ordered the accused to report to the police three times a week and to surrender his travel documents.

The case will be mentioned again on June 26.

Allegations are that on May 22, at around 5:10 pm, Edwards was preparing to board a flight to Heathrow, England at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay when a security check of his suitcase revealed a false compartment where three packages wrapped in black plastic were found.

The packages were examined and found to contain a substance resembling cocaine.

Under caution, Edwards reportedly said of the suitcase, “A borrow mi borrow it enuh. One of my drinking friends named Markus. A Markus give mi di suitcase.”

He was subsequently arrested and charged.