Man jailed for seven and a half years over cannabis and cocaine importation
He was arrested at Malta International Airport after flight from Seville with almost 6kg of drugs in his bag
A 37-year-old man was jailed for seven and a half years after reaching a plea deal over the importation and trafficking of cannabis and cocaine.
Juan José Fernández López was arrested at Malta International Airport on October 14, 2020 together with Marta Martín Dañobeitia.
The pair had entered Malta on board a Ryanair flight from Seville in Spain. The police stopped them and found them carrying 14 packets of cannabis amounting to 5.94kg of drugs in Fernández López’s bag and 6.89kg in Martín Dañobeitia's suitcase.
The police also found 2.43g of cocaine with 60 per cent purity.
The investigators also found Fernández López’s DNA profile on all the cannabis packets.
Martín Dañobeitia had reached a plea deal and was jailed for seven years and fined €15,000 in August.
Fernández López was accused of conspiring to import cannabis, importing and trafficking cannabis. He was further charged with being in possession of cannabis in circumstances that denoted it was not for personal use. He was further charged with importing cocaine and being in possession of the drug.
The man initially pleaded not guilty but eventually reached a plea deal.
In a joint application, the Attorney General and the accused declared that in the eventuality of a guilty plea, it was being recommended that he is jailed for seven years and six months, in addition to a €15,000 fine.
The court upheld the recommendation, and ordered him to pay €2,401.16 in court expenses.
The judgement was handed down on Wednesday.
Madam Justice Natasha Galea Sciberras presided over the Criminal Court.
Lawyer Noel Bianco appeared for the accused.