A TAXI driver accused of bringing a kilo of cocaine into Swindon was caught on camera flashing a wad of cash, a court heard.

Swindon cabbie Edson Monteiro de Resende denies being part of a gang that arranged for cocaine with a street value of £200,000 to be trafficked from London to the Wiltshire town in September 2017.

Five men, including the former boyfriend of Little Mix singer Jesy Nelson, are currently on trial at Bristol Crown Court charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs. All deny the charges.

Yesterday, the jury was told V Cars driver de Resende, 34, had been paid £250 by fellow defendant Marcus Mawire to take £2,000 to London. The Brazilian national claimed he was told the cash was to pay for medication for Mawire’s aunt, suffering from cancer.

Commissioned privately by Mawire rather than booked through V Cars, de Resende left Swindon after 6pm.

By 9.20pm, he was in Hendon where undercover police spotted at least one man appearing to get into his car. It was claimed a bag containing almost a kilo of cocaine was left in the taxi by a black man. De Resende claimed not to know what was in the bag until his suspicions were aroused on the drive home and he opened it.

An hour later, de Resende’s car was seen in Waltham Abbey. A BMW, allegedly driven by ex-rapper and Little Mix love interest Harry Byart, pulled up alongside the taxi and the cash was handed over. De Resende was stopped by police shortly after midnight as he returned to Swindon.

Under cross examination yesterday morning, de Resende claimed he had been angered by calls from Mawire asking him to drive to different locations around Greater London.

But Archangelo Power, representing Mawire, questioned whether he was as angry as he claimed. The barrister pointed to a video, shot after 10pm and showing de Resende flashing bank notes and speaking excitedly to a friend. “You’re waving money around on screen, boasting to this man, Gabriel, how you’re going to spend it. Is that you being angry at him?” Mr Power asked. De Resende replied: “I can be angry with him, but I’m not angry with Gabriel.”

He denied suggestions he knew what was in the package when it was initially handed over or that he had “turned a blind eye”.

Gordon, 32, formerly of Eastwood Close, London, Byart, 25, of Merlin Close, Waltham Abbey, Mawire, 24, of Milton Road, Sittingbourne, Monteiro de Resende, 34, of Pasteur Drive, Swindon, and Dean Mulholland, 28, of Limes Avenue, Swindon, deny conspiracy to supply cocaine.

The trial continues.