Drugs mule jailed after pleading guilty to importing a kilogram of cocaine
The Brazilian woman was arrested at Malta International Airport last November
A drugs mule has been jailed for five and a half years after pleading guilty to importing a kilogram of cocaine.
Tainara Fernandes Da Silva, 22, from Brazil was arrested at Malta International Airport on November 3 last year after she was stopped by airport officials.
The woman had just disembarked a plane from Barcelona when airport officials observed her behaving suspiciously.
She tried to run away from the police but was quickly caught and made to undergo an X-ray which revealed sachets of what was suspected to be drugs inside her.
Da Silva was taken to Mater Dei Hospital where it was established that she had tried to smuggle 1kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of almost €130,000 inside her.
The woman was subsequently accused of importing cocaine and being in possession of the drugs in circumstances that denoted it was not for personal use. She initially pleaded not guilty.
Earlier this month, the woman changed her plea. The court allowed her some time to rethink the legal consequences of her actions. The woman reconfirmed that she would plead guilty to the charges.
The Criminal Court jailed the woman for five years and six months. She was also fined €7,000.
The court ordered her to pay €1,041.79 in court expenses.
Madam Justice Consuelo Scerri Herrera presided over the Criminal Court.