Police who raided a gambler's home found thousands of pounds in cash and casino betting chips containing unusually high levels of drugs, a court heard today.

Five diaries were also seized from John McCracken's home in which the prosecution alleged slang references were made to drugs such as heroin, cocaine and cannabis.

Hove Crown Court heard police who raided McCracken's home on May 24, 2005 found £16,330 in cash and £4,000 worth of casino gambling chips in different rooms.

Messages extracted from mobile phones found at the property showed "clear requests" for the defendant to supply drugs including cannabis, the jury heard.

Opening the Crown's case, prosecutor Annabel Maxwell-Scott said: "One message said Jock, mate can you get me some green (cannabis)?' and another said Jock, if you are up, any chance of getting me some sniff?'."

Forensic analysis of the cash uncovered high traces of cannabis and heroin in five samples, and cocaine was detected on two gambling chips, she added.

Miss Maxwell-Scott said: "Cash often has traces of drugs on them, in particular cocaine, but the Crown say that in this instance there was an unusually high level of drugs on this money."

She added: "The issue is whether Mr McCracken knew or suspected that it was from the benefit of criminal conduct."

McCracken, 40, of Wiston Road South, Brighton, denies two counts of possession of criminal property contrary to the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Miss Maxwell-Scott said McCracken will claim the cash and chips came from legitimate gambling, casinos and horse-racing but it is the Crown's case they came from drug dealing.

She said: "The Crown point to the diaries, the entries on the mobile phones, the cash analysis and the amount of cash in the house."

The case, expected to last up to four days, continues.