Inmate's chicken meal 'hid packets of heroin'

A home-cooked chicken intended for a prisoner was found to contain two packets of heroin after prison officers grew suspicious and "searched" the bird.

Tania Calleja, 40, an aunt of prisoner Marco Pace also known as il-Pinzell, left the chicken with prison guards to be handed over to Mr Pace, a court heard yesterday. The incident happened on January 12, 2006.

But 10 to 15 minutes after she left the jail the guards became suspicious and decided to check if there was anything illegal inside the chicken, Police Inspector Norbert Ciappara testified.

The two packets of heroin were found stuffed in the meat near the wings.

Ms Calleja stood in court yesterday with folded arms as the inspector explained to the magistrate how she hid the drugs inside the bird.

She pleaded not guilty to trafficking, possessing the drugs and trying to smuggle the packets into the prison.

When visitors arrive at the prison, both the visitor and the items they may have for prisoners are searched. Guards then search the items a second time before passing them on to the inmate.

Defence lawyer Franco Debono highlighted the fact that the second search was carried out in Ms Calleja's absence and that she had already left the building when officials allegedly found the drugs.

He added that the drugs were found after she had already passed the initial search.