Drug mule jailed for 11 years

An Algerian man was today jailed for 11 years and fined €30,000 after he admitted in court to dealing, offering, supplying and importing drugs into the Maltese islands.

Efosa Efionayi, who filed his plea instead of undergoing trial by jury, admitted he had conspired with others to import heroin from the Netherlands and Belgium for trafficking in Malta. He was offered €3,000 each time he brought drugs to Malta.

The Algerian first made a dry run to acquaint himself with the airport.

He then came to Malta with another two men who were also carrying drugs. The police intercepted him and he was found to be carrying 76 drug capsules in his stomach. He had swallowed them while drinking soup.

The total weight of the drugs was 946.79 grams, with an approximate 30 per cent purity. The street value was between €45,000 and €70,000.

Legal Aid lawyer Malcolm Mifsud asked the court to consider the early guilty plea. He also pointed that in similar cases the jail term had not exceeded 10 years.

Aaron Bugeja, prosecuted, said this was a typical case of drug importation. The accused had to admit because he had been caught red handed, and a large profit could have been made from this crime, Dr Bugeja said.