Another South American charged with importing drugs

A man from Panama has been charged with importing two kilogrammes of cocaine, the second alleged drug mule from South America to be arraigned in the span of under two weeks.

Nicolas King Jimenez, 31, had just arrived from Brussels on Tuesday evening when, using X-ray equipment, Customs officers at the airport allegedly found a false bottom in one of his suitcases. The police said a package wrapped in silver paper inside a plastic bag containing white powder was found in the luggage.

Mr Jimenez pleaded not guilty to conspiring to import the drug and possessing it in circumstances denoting it was not for his exclusive use.

Magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona remanded him in custody after taking into consideration he had no ties with the island.

José Luis Lugo Del Rosario, 47, from the Dominican Republic, admitted to importing one kilogramme of cocaine on May 13. The drugs were found inside his hotel room after a tip-off to the police.

The police in Europe have been working to overcome a new wave of cocaine imports from the notorious South American cartels that have increased their exports to the continent in the past 10 years after they saturated the North American markets.