Two men on drugs trial after controlled delivery operation

Two men who were allegedly netted by the police in a drugs controlled delivery operation went on trial this morning.

Jose' Edgar Pena, 37 of Columbia and Domingo Riccardo Duran Navas, 29 of Panama, are pleading not guilty to conspiring to import 1.5 kilos of cocaine.

The prosecution is claiming that in September 2006, another man, Enrique Martins Burgua, was arrested at the airport and found carrying a packet cocaine in his hand luggage. He told the police that he was meant to check in at a hotel and phone other people to pick up the package.

The police accompanied him to the hotel, where he checked in and phoned his handlers as directed.

Two men turned up soon after to pick up the drugs and they were promptly arrested.

The prosecution said the two men were the accused.