Customs officers discovered half a kilogramme of cannabis after their suspicions were roused by a package from the USA purporting to be “books and popcorn”, a court heard on Monday.

“Nobody orders popcorn from America,” prosecuting inspector Joseph Xerri told the court.

Mandy Cassar, 29 and from Swieqi, was arrested after police swapped the package with a decoy and delivered it to her home.

A court heard how customs officers had contacted police after finding three books and a silver packet of cannabis in the package, which came from the USA and was addressed to a Richard Calleja.

Police swapped the package with a decoy and had an undercover policeman disguised as a postman deliver it to the address.

Ms Cassar opened the door and seemed to have a “blank expression” when first told there was a package for “Richard Calleja”, the inspector told the court. When he asked a second time for Mr Calleja, Ms Cassar  signed on his behalf.

A while later, the policeman – now dressed in his uniform – returned to the house and searched it. The decoy package was lying on Ms Cassar’s bed, open. The bag of dummy cannabis had also been opened, a court heard.

Ms Cassar told police that she had not ordered the package and had only opened it out of curiosity.

Chemist Godwin Sammut told the court that the 500g of cannabis was 28 per cent pure and had a street value of between €5,000 and €14,000.

Magistrate Doreen Clarke granted Ms Cassar bail against a €6.000 personal guarantee and a €2,000 deposit. She is to sign a bail book twice weekly and observe a curfew.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Yanika Vidal are defence counsel.