A Nigerian national has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment after he was found to be carrying 588 grams of cocaine, by swallowing the substance in numerous capsules, before getting on a flight from Brussels to Malta.

The accused, Eddy Favour Imeh, was charged with conspiring to traffic the substance and being in possession of the drug for the purposes of trafficking.

The incident took place on 5 August 2013, when the accused had conspired with persons overseas to carry a large quantity of cocaine on his person, to be delivered to another individual in Malta upon arrival. The accused was to receive instructions once he arrived in Malta.

The accused was to receive €36 for each capsule he swallowed, with the intention of swallowing 100 in total. It transpired that he only managed to swallow 46. Upon arrival at Malta International Airport, authorities had searched the accused and subsequently took him for an X-Ray, which is when the capsules were found. It is said that the street value of the capsules seized amount to roughly €37,000.

The accused admitted that the cocaine found on his person was intended to be trafficked.

The courts allowed the accused to retract his guilty plea, and warned him of the possible consequences of such a plea, however Mr Imeh chose not to retract.

In view of the above, the courts sentenced him to seven years imprisonment and fined him €5,000 – which is to be paid in 15 days. Failure to do so, would amount to further jail-time.  Judge Antonio Mizzi presided over the case.