Interviewing detective, Corporal Avinesh Dutt today agreed in court that Joshua Aziz Rahman was held in custody for more than 48 hours.

Dutt was cross-examined on the caution interview that he conducted with Rahman who is charged with one count of unlawful possession of illicit drugs.

Defence put to the witness that if Rahman was arrested on the 12th of February, 2019, by the 15th – the 48 hour period would have expired.

Dutt agreed that this was accurate.

The defence says the caution interview also reveals that Rahman was interviewed numerous times from the 13th to the 15th of February.

Dutt testified that when he interviewed the accused on 14th February, he was aware of when the 48 hour detention period expired.

The defence also established that Rahman was initially arrested and interviewed because he was seen at three locations with three persons of national interest who were known to have not declared substantial amounts of currency.

When put to the witness that the interview on the 13th of February did not mention anything on currency, Dutt responded that they wanted to know why Rahman was meeting the three persons.

The defence also showed that the caution interview on the 13th of February was conducted for only 14 minutes before it was suspended and picked up again on at 5.30pm on the 14th of February.

It was on the same day that the drug raid was conducted at around 10pm.

The defence also revealed that there was no drug charge put to the accused during the initial interview, however, two search warrants for currency and illicit drugs were applied for, and a search conducted well after the 48 hours expired.

It was revealed in court that during his interview Rahman maintained that he did not know what the substance or package was.

Dutt earlier testified that with a dog unit present during their 2019 raid, they allegedly found a parcel wrapped in duct tape in a drawer of the master bedroom at Rahman’s Caubati home.

It is alleged that the parcel contained 39.5 kg of cocaine worth more than $30m.

The trial continues in the High Court.