Magistrate Francesco Depasquale today sentenced a Bulgarian to two years in jail, and fined him €2,400 after finding him guilty of conspiring with others in Malta or abroad on 5 April by importing five pills containing cocaine.

Marius Bankov, 31, admitted possessing 29.5 grammes of the drug, having 38 per cent purity and worth almost €2,000 on the market. Court expert Godwin Sammut testified that another pill, with a chemical in it which would serve as a cutting agent, weighed 7.11 grammes. It would be mixed with the cocaine.

The court considered that Bankov had cooperated fully with the police and that he had a clean conduct.

Dr Joe Ellis was defence counsel, Inspector Malcolm Bondin prosecuted.