A man who admitted conspiring to traffic almost one kilogram of cocaine in February 2007 was yesterday jailed for nine years and fined €23,500.

Darren Aquilina, 30, from Ta’ Xbiex, pleaded guilty instead of facing a trial by jury. He had originally been charged with conspiring to deal in the drug and being in possession of the substance together with Alberto Bafumi, from Catania, who was also sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment in January last year.

Both men were arrested following a raid at a flat in St Julian’s on February 1, 2007.

They were found in possession of 97 capsules containing 955.8 grams of cocaine.

The court heard that Mr Aquilina had handed over €50,000 to Mr Bafumi for the cocaine with the plan to sell it to third parties.

When he appeared before Mr Justice Michael Mallia, Mr Aquilina admitted to conspiracy to deal in drugs, trafficking cocaine and being in possession of cocaine in circumstances denoting it was not for his personal use.

The judge rejected the defence lawyer’s argument that Mr Aquilina ought to be given a shorter jail term because it was Mr Bafumi who had purchased and supplied the cocaine.

Mr Justice Mallia noted that the two had agreed to purchase the cocaine to sell it, so the conspiracy to deal in drugs followed a common design.

The €23,500 fine will be converted into an additional 12 months in jail if it is not paid immediately.

The court also ordered the confiscation of all his assets and the payment of almost €4,000 in court expenses.

The judge also ruled that the cocaine should be destroyed.