A woman from Brazil was sentenced to five and a half years in jail after she pleaded guilty to importing one kilogramme of cocaine in her stomach and genitals.

Tainara Fernandes Da Silva, 22, from Brazil had been arrested at Malta International Airport on 3 November last year. She had just arrived from Barcelona when airport officials observed her behaving suspiciously.

She tried to escape but was quickly caught and made to undergo an X-ray which revealed sachets of what was suspected to be drugs inside her.

Further investigations established that she was carrying 1kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of almost €130,000 inside her.

She initially pleaded not guilty but a few weeks ago changed her plea to guilty. The court allowed her some time to rethink the legal consequences of her actions. She confirmed her guilty plea, and was jailed for five years and six months. She was also fined €7,000.

The court ordered her to pay €1,041.79 in court expenses.

Madam Justice Consuelo Scerri Herrera presided over the Criminal Court.