Woman smuggled heroin capsules in her stomach

A Kenyan woman explained to the police how she smuggled about 50 heroin-containing capsules from Istanbul to Malta in her stomach against a payment of $2,000.

"After Margaret (Anyasi Andalo) was arrested in her Paceville hotel room, she admitted importing the drugs from Istanbul. She said that before her departure, she had been instructed to meet (Akram Amar) Swayah near the Paceville church and pass the drugs over to him," Police Inspector Neil Harrison said.

The inspector testified in the compilation of evidence against Andalo, 38, who holds an Italian passport, and Libyan Swayah, 25, who are pleading not guilty to conspiring to traffic heroin and importing it into Malta.

They are also charged with the possession and trafficking of the drug on and before July 30.

Swayah is also charged with possession of the cannabis plant and resin.

At the end of yesterday's court sitting, Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera ruled that there were enough reasons for Andalo and Swayah to be indicated.

Inspector Harrison said that on July 29 he received confidential information that a man living in a Bugibba apartment wanted to sell drugs. The informant also gave a description of the man to the police.

So the next morning police officers were sent to keep and eye on the apartment and try to locate the man indicated to them. At about 11.30 a.m. Swayah emerged from the apartment and was searched but no drugs where found on him.

He initially denied having any drugs in his apartment but eventually told the police drugs were hidden in a shoe box under the stairs of the apartment block.

The shoe box contained 46 capsules divided into plastic bags. The capsules were of two different sizes but most were small and had tape wrapped around them.

The police also found Swayah's girlfriend in the apartment and both were arrested but the man assured the police she knew nothing about the drugs.

He told the officers he had obtained the drugs from a black woman whom he met in Paceville the day before. Although he did not remember where she was residing, Swayah indicated that she lived in the area near the Valentino Hotel.

So the police went to the hotel and learnt that a woman who matched Swayah's description had checked in the previous day and was staying in room number 15.

The room was searched and the police found Andalo but no drug related items. A woman police constable strip searched her and found six capsules, identical to the ones found in the Bugibba apartment, hidden in her underpants.

Andalo was taken to hospital where an ex-ray revealed there were no drugs inside her body.

Inspector Harrison went on to explain the contents of the statement released by Andalo at the police headquarters. She admitted importing about 50 capsules containing heroin from Istanbul. She said she had been instructed to meet Swayah near the Paceville church the day after her arrival.

Thus, on July 29 she met him and he drove her to his apartment. Once there they had a drink and then she went to the bathroom to remove the capsules from inside her body.

However, she did not manage to remove all of them and therefore agreed with Swayah to meet him the next day in order to hand over the rest. But they were arrested before they could meet again.

The case continues.

Police Inspectors Harrison and Sandro Zarb are prosecuting.