Jailed for drug smuggling

A Libyan man was yesterday jailed for seven years and fined Lm3,700 for importing 745 grammes of cannabis resin into Malta from Tripoli by hiding the drugs in his shoes.

Fathi Milud Bugseaa, 38, pleaded guilty to importing the cannabis and to the possession of the drug with the intent to sell on July 21, 2003.

Magistrate Lawrence Quintano heard how Bugseaa was apprehended by police on arrival at the Malta International Airport. During a search the police found that his shoes were two sizes too big and inside them they found eight pieces of cannabis, of some 11 per cent purity, wrapped in yellow tape.

Bugseaa originally denied knowing his shoes contained drugs but during a court sitting held on Tuesday he filed a guilty plea.

Magistrate Quintano jailed him for seven years and fined him Lm3,700 which is convertible into a seven-month jail term. He also ordered that the time Bugseaa spent in preventive custody be deducted from his jail term.

Inspector Nezren Grixti prosecuted.