A suspected drug smuggler wired £52,000 to his father in Peru as drugs were being posted to Crawley, a court heard.

Nathan Salas is alleged to have transferred the cash to his father Oscar in Lima.

More than £20,000 was sent to Peru in one eight day period in September last year.

It is claimed the money was used to buy cocaine with a street value of £630,000.

Sophie Greaves, a Western Union counter money-laundering officer, gave a jury details of 12 transactions between July and September 2006.

She said the money transfers were made at Western Union agents in Crawley and Horsham.

Records indicated that the money was sent by Nathan Salas who gave addresses at Innes Road, Horsham, and Vancouver Drive, Crawley.

They appeared to show Oscar Sallas had collected the money in Peru giving two hotels as his addresses.

The amounts received each time ranged from £3,600 to £4,815, Hove Crown Court heard.

Miss Greaves said that in the UK photographic proof of identity and a utility bill had to be provided by anyone collecting more than £2,000.

She said she could not say with certainty what the identification procedures were in Peru.

She agreed with David Fisher, QC, defending Oscar Salas, that three different identification numbers appeared against transactions alleged to have been collected by him.

She added: "I can't say who actually collected the money in Lima."

German customs officers intercepted yellow Jiffy bags posted from Peru between August and October last year.

They contained canisters of 35mm film with cocaine hidden inside them.

The packages were destined for addresses in Crawley, Brighton and London.

The drugs were removed and a detective posed as a postman to see who took delivery of the bags.

Lubhaia Ram, 43, of Smallfield, Surrey; Oscar Salas, 54, of Falmouth, Cornwall; Nathan Salas, 28, of Innes Road, Horsham, and Fabio de Palma, 30, of Albany Road, West Green, Crawley, deny conspiracy to smuggle cocaine.

Russell Lawrence, 49, of Maidenbower Place, Crawley; Paul Casella, 44, of Capricorn Close, Bewbush, Crawley; Richard Casella, 43, of Lampsden Court, Copthorne Common, Crawley, and Trevor Bowden, 38, of Clive Way, Crawley, also deny conspiracy to smuggle cocaine.

The trial continues.