Drug courier jailed for 11 years

Justo Ernesto Bellver Bayo was jailed for 11 years and fined €23,000 after pleading guilty to importing 1.1kilo of heroin in June 2010. The Spanish national was to face a trial by jury today, however he filed a guilty plea.

In 2010, the accused conspired with a person named 'Daniel' to import drugs in Malta. Bayo boarded a flight from Valencia to Amsterdam. The travelling documents for the flight were left in a dustbin in a gent's room at the Valencia airport.

The package collected in Valencia included €200 and a Samsung phone complete with SIM card. Once in Amsterdam, he made his way to a train in the station, and from a dustbin at the train station the accused collected a pair of shoes, one of which contained the drug.

Bayo was instructed to destroy the Spanish SIM card and purchase a Dutch connection. Once in Malta he was to take a taxi ride to a hotel in Birzebbugia and contact 'Daniel' for further instructions. The accused was promised €3,000 for his work.

However, the Spaniard was held at Malta International Airport by Customs Officers, after the latter received an alert from the Customs Intelligence Section (CIS). During the search a hole was drilled in shoe and brown powder was found inside. Tests confirmed the powder to be 26.7% pure heroine.

The Spaniard pleaded guilty as charged.

Mr Justice Lawrence Quintano imprisoned Bayo for 11 years and fined €23,000. The fine will be converted to a year's prison term if not paid within 15 days. The court ordered the accused to also pay €686 in court expenses.