A German drug courier, Paul Peter Pietka, 31,has been jailed for five-and-a-half years and fined €15,000.

The German was arrested after long hours of police surveillance in August 2011 along with with an alleged Maltese drug trafficker.

The German, carrying 600 grams of cocaine in capsules in his stomach, came off a flight from Eindhoven and was followed by plain clothed police officers.

Aware he was being trailed, Customs officials’ stopped him briefly but then let him through, and he caught a taxi.

He was arrested in his hotel room.

Mr Pietka pleaded guilty to conspiring to import the drugs, importing them and being in possession of the drugs in circumstances which denoted it was not for his exclusive use.

In a separate arraignment in connection with the case, Kevin Grima, 36, from Santa Venera, denied being the person who was meant to receive the drugs from Mr Pietka. He was caught by the police at the hotel allegedly asking for Mr Pietka and carrying some €7,000 in cash, sources said.

Lawyers Lucio Sciriha and Abigail Bugeja were defence counsel. 

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