A young Romanian woman was yesterday cleared of importing a kilo of heroin after a jury believed her when she insisted she did not know that her suitcase contained drugs.

Adela Mariana Creta, 24, was unanimously found not guilty of importing €41,000 worth of heroin when she arrived aboard a flight from Brussels on August 5, 2009.

Ms Creta insisted during the trial presided over by Mr Justice Lawrence Quintano that she had no idea there were drugs in the suitcase. The illegal substance was found when she was stopped by the police and Customs officers at Malta International Airport on her arrival.

She testified that her boyfriend had encouraged her to use his luggage because hers was worn out. She had packed her bag but it never crossed her mind that the luggage had a false bottom.

Lawyer Maurizio Cordina, from the Attorney General’s office, challenged her version. She had come to Malta on a one-day trip without a hotel reservation and her boyfriend still gave her a suitcase, instructing her to contact him on her mobile phone when she got here, Dr Cordina noted.

The nine-member jury panel, however ,opted to believe her evidence.

Lawyer Joseph Mifsud represented Ms Creta.