Liberian jailed for 10 years for importing cocaine in stomach capsules

Updated:

A 34-year-old Liberian man who had been found with 68 drug capsules in his stomach this morning admitted to conspiring to traffic drugs.

Benedict Nyumah, who had been resident in England but held a Dutch passport, filed his guilty plea shortly before he was due to undergo a trial by jury.

He was arrested at the airport on March 15, 2007 after Customs officers became suspicious of his movements.

The court was told that Mr Nyumah had conspired with other persons to import the drugs and had to pass on these drugs to an individual in Malta for a considerable amount of money.

The capsules find in his stomach contained 789 grams of cocaine with a street value of €55,260.

The Liberian was jailed for 10 years and fined €35,000 which, if they cannot be paid, with translate into a further 18 months in prison.