A man from the Dominican Republic who received a package containing over €70,000 worth of cocaine in a controlled delivery has been jailed for eight years and four months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to import drugs into Malta.

Nelson Arias, who lived in The Netherlands, was caught accepting the package after the police had previously apprehended another man, Jose Julio Buis, as he arrived in Malta on a flight from Amsterdam on October 31, 2008. Inside his stomach, the police discovered 70 capsules containing almost 676 grams of cocaine.

After he was taken to hospital and the capsules extracted, Mr Buis accepted to help the police in their investigation to determine who was the consignee. He told police he was sent to Malta by a third person to carry put a drug consignment to a certain Paco.

When the police showed him a photo of Mr Arias, Mr Buis recognised him as Paco, adding that he had known him since 1989 as he formed part of a group of people from the Dominican Republic who lived in The Netherlands.

Mr Arias was arrested by Drug Squad police on November 2 during a controlled delivery, but only after he tried escaping when he realised he had been surrounded by police officers.

Instead of facing a trial by jury and a maximum of life imprisonment, Mr Arias plea bargained and settled for eight years and four months in jail as well as a fine of €6,500. Moreover, he also accepted other sanctions that are mandatorily prescribed by law, including the confiscation of any funds and other movable and immovable property.

Mr Justice Antonio Mizzi ordered Mr Arias to pay the fine within 15 days as otherwise it would be converted into a prison term. He also ordered him to pay €1,160 in court expenses.

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