Arrested for carrying heroin capsules in stomach

A Libyan was arrested at the airport when an X-ray showed he was carrying capsules in his stomach which were later found to contain heroin, the police said yesterday.

Members of the Drug Squad, assisted by personnel from the Customs Enforcement Unit, were at the airport on Tuesday afternoon stopping passengers arriving from Tripoli in a routine check.

Among the passengers was a 24-year-old Libyan who was acting suspiciously.

A thorough search of his luggage and his person proved negative but an X-ray check showed 10 capsules in his stomach which turned out to contain 100 grammes of heroin.

It was the second drug haul in two days after a 28-year-old man from Żejtun was allegedly caught on Monday in possession of cocaine and heroin destined for trafficking.

The man was arrested in Qajjenza near Birżebbuġa, when during a police search he was allegedly found in possession of 13 sachets of cocaine and nine sachets of heroin.