Cocaine was found in the false bottom of luggage bags carried by two Panamanian drug mules who claimed to have come to Malta to study English, a court heard this morning.

Lorena Vanessa Hernandez Munoz, 21, and Hector Antonio Montenegro Martinez, 20, pleaded not guilty to the importation of more than 11 kilograms of cocaine on August 10.  

During the compilation of evidence before Magistrate Neville Camilleri, customs officials testified how white powder fell out of the bottom of the bag belonging to Mr Martinez when they slit it open with a knife.

The bag had contained clothes but customs officials became suspicious because of the weight of the bag when it was emptied of its contents.

By the time Mr Martinez was arrested Ms Munoz had already left the airport, but she was tracked down to her hotel room, where the police found cocaine in the false bottom of her bag.

The Panamanians were supposedly in Malta to study English and carried confirmation letters from a leading language school.

The pair was charged with conspiring to import and deal in drugs, importing the cocaine as well as possession of cocaine found in circumstances denoting it was not for their personal use.

They are being held in custody.