A 30-year-old Libyan pleaded guilty yesterday to importing 24,000 steroid pills worth e7,044 (Lm3,023.98) on Monday on an incoming flight from his hometown Tripoli.

Before magistrate Edwina Grima, Saleh Salem Mohamed pleaded guilty to importing the restricted drugs which were stored in 24 plastic containers each holding 1,000 pills. Each container was in turn stuffed into a can of chickpeas. He also pleaded guilty to possessing the drugs in circumstances denoting that they were not for his personal use.

Mohamed was jailed for six months suspended for one year.

Police Inspector Maurice Curmi prosecuted while Dr Beppe Fenech Adami was legal aid to the accused.