Drug squad police have managed to prove that another method, the courier service, is being used for drug running.

Police sources said they had investigated several cases of drugs sent by post in the past, both in letter packets as well as in parcels.

But although they have had their suspicions, this was the first case involving the use of a courier service they have come across.

A 26-year-old Nigerian man, Isaac Anthony Ugochukwu Unigwe, who is married to a Maltese and lives here, was on Saturday charged with being in possession of and importing 200 grammes of cocaine and some 700 grammes of cannabis grass.

He pleaded not guilty but was remanded in custody.

Police sources said they were alerted to the consignment by British Customs. The drugs were very well concealed in oil filters used in truck engines.

The filters had been opened, filled with drugs, re-sealed and sent by courier service from the UK to Malta.

The police established that the person to whom the parcel was sent had no connection to the drugs but the Nigerian had allegedly asked the person to receive the package on his behalf. The person was to inform him when it arrived so he could collect it.

The police then arranged a controlled delivery and the man was arrested shortly after he picked up the parcel on Friday.

Courier services, like the post office and other delivery services, have little control over what they are up to dispatch.

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