Pleads guilty to importing heroin

A Libyan man yesterday pleaded guilty to charges of importing one kilogramme of heroin from Turkey.

Hasan Omar Farag Ibrahim, 43, filed his plea before the Criminal Court after the bill of indictment prepared by the prosecution was read out.

Ibrahim was stopped at the airport after he arrived on November 6, 2000, at about 7.30 a.m. He was found in possession of heroin he had bought in Istanbul. The drug, about Lm50,000 worth of rather pure heroin, was found in a false bottom in his suitcase.

The police had been tipped off about Ibrahim's arrival and Customs officers, who were on the lookout, singled out Ibrahim because he looked nervous.

They followed him to the luggage carousel and then to the green channel where they stopped him and searched his luggage.

Ibrahim yesterday testified behind closed doors before Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono pronounces judgment tomorrow.

Senior counsel to the republic Dr Mark Said prosecuted.

Dr Leo Bencini appeared for Ibrahim.