Drug couriers jailed for 23 years

Two drug couriers were yesterday jailed for a total of 23 years and fined €47,000 between them after they pleaded guilty to importing drugs into Malta on separate occasions.

A 36-year-old Libyan national was jailed for 11 years and fined €23,000 (Lm9, 870) for importing heroin, conspiring to import drugs into Malta and being in possession of the drug in circumstances indicating it was not for his exclusive use.

Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono heard Mohamed Ali Alrahi admit to importing the drug on May 29, 2005 from Tunisia.

The court heard that Mr Alrahi arrived on a flight from Tunisia at about 11.30 p.m. and was caught with 667.3 grammes of heroin concealed in his shoes.

Defence counsel Malcolm Mifsud asked the court to take into consideration the fact that Mr Alrahi had medical problems and that his house in Libya had been burned down.

He said the person who helped Mr Alrahi had taken advantage of the situation and persuaded him to bring the drugs to Malta. Dr Mifsud also asked Mr Justice Galea Debono to bear in mind that Mr Alrahi had cooperated with the police and had spent two years in preventative arrest.

Anthony Barbara, the head of the Attorney General's Prosecution Unit, and Lara Lanfranco, from the AG's office, prosecuted.

In the other case, 39-year-old Mexican national Enrique Martinez Burgoa was jailed for 12 years and fined €24,000 (Lm10,303), for importing 1.5 kilogrammes of cocaine having a street value of €132,770 (Lm57,000). He also pleaded guilty to conspiring to import the drug and possessing the drug in circumstances denoting it was not for his personal use.

The court heard how in September 2006 Mr Burgoa had arranged to fly to Malta from Mexico with a bag containing a false bottom in which he had hidden the cocaine. On arriving in Malta he had to deliver the consignment to some persons.

He told investigators he was to be paid a large amount of money which, in part, he received before leaving Mexico and the rest he would have received in Malta.

Mr Burgoa was stopped by Customs officers at the airport where he was searched and the drugs recovered from the false bottom of his bag.

Before handing down judgment, Mr Justice Galea Debono took into consideration the fact that he admitted to the charges in an early stage of the proceedings.

Lawyer Sandra Sant from the Attorney General's office prosecuted.

Lawyer Joe Mifsud appeared for Mr Burgoa.