The police this evening charged another two Panamanians over their alleged involvement in the importation of 11 kilograms of cocaine found hidden in the false bottom of luggage last month.

The cocaine had been found hidden in luggage belonging to another two Panamanian drug mules who claimed to have come to Malta to study English.

Before Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras, Iriceth Vanessa Carabia Araujom and Anays Cecile Gonzalez Estribi, both 21-year-old students who work in a fast food restaurant, denied their involvement in the importation of the drug.

The two women were 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 were further charged with possession of cannabis.

Defence lawyer Joseph Mizzi said his clients were not requesting bail at this stage but requested a ban on the publication of their names as they were fearing repercussions. However, the court turned the request down as there were no legal grounds for such a ban.

The magistrate, however, upheld a request for their assets to be frozen.

Their arraignment follows that of two co-nationals on August 26 when Lorena Vanessa Hernandez Munoz, 21, and Hector Antonio Montenegro Martinez, 20, pleaded not guilty to the importation of the cocaine on August 10.