A British man residing in Qawra was yesterday jailed for five months and fined e500 (Lm214.59) after he was found guilty of importing cocaine for his personal use.

Presiding Magistrate Lawrence Quintano found Dean John Harvey, 31, also guilty to possessing cannabis resin.

Harvey was acquitted of dealing in cocaine and possessing ecstasy pills in circumstances denoting that they were not for his own consumption after the court heard how he the police had put Harvey under surveillance suspecting that he was about to import drugs.

The man was apprehended as he retrieved a parcel at the Qawra post office. The parcel contained 4.5 grammes of cocaine, which Harvey had ordered from the UK and for which he paid £221. He confirmed that he had been convicted of possession of firearms and Class A drugs in the UK. Harvey told the court that he had his cocaine sent to him to the UK as it was of higher quality than the “rubbish” available in Malta. Ironically, tests showed that the cocaine available locally was of higher purity than the one sent to him from the UK.

In handing down his judgement, Magistrate Quintano said that although the drug imported was meant for personal use, he had to inflict a punishment equitable to the “very serious” amount of cocaine. To this end, he jailed him for five months and fined him e500 (Lm214.59).

Police Inspectors Norbert Ciappara prosecuted while Dr Mark Busuttil was defence counsel to Harvey.