Drug mule arrested after drugs found in luggage
The 60-year-old woman was arrested at the airport
A 60-year-old woman who was arrested at the airport on Saturday, was carrying 100g of heroin and 20 kilogrammes of cutting agent, prosecutors said during her arraignment on Monday.
Erzsebet Kertesz, a Hungarian national, was arrested soon after she arrived on a flight from Brussels. She was accused on Monday morning of conspiring to traffic heroin, importing the drug and aggravated possession of heroin. She pleaded not guilty.
Police inspector Mark Mercieca explained that the woman was stopped by police and customs officers on suspicion that she was carrying illegal objects. A scan showed organic substances in her luggage.
The woman did not give satisfactory explanations, and a search of her luggage revealed four packets which were labelled as semolina but later found to be a cutting agent.
In one of the packets, police found a capsule containing 100g believed to be heroin.
The defence made no request for bail at this stage and the woman was remanded in custody.
A freezing order was issued on the prosecution’s request.
Magistrate Kevan Azzopardi presided.
AG lawyer Nadia Ciappara prosecuted assisted by police inspector Mark Anthony Mercieca.
Lawyers Noel Bianco and Adriano Spiteri assisted the accused.