Porporina's wife jailed for hiding drugs in shoes during prison visit

The wife of jailbird Alfred Bugeja, Il-Porporina, has been jailed after a court found her guilty of attempting to smuggle heroin into jail for her husband in a pair of shoes. 

Helen Bugeja, 47, from Senglea, had hidden heroin in a pair of shoes that was delivered to Bugeja by his brother in June 2012. 

Bugeja denied knowledge of the hidden drugs, however, Magistrate Marseann Farrugia was not swayed by her version of events.

The court heard how the items brought into prison - shoes and PlayStation games - had been checked by prison staff. The initial search came back turned up nothing, however further investigations turned up nearly three grams of heroin hidden in two sachets. 

The court was told that the amount would have been enough for around 14 doses.

Prosecuting Police Inspector Johann Fenech told the court that when Bugeja was arrested, officers from the Drug Squad found her to be in possession of two pieces of foil, which were subsequently found to have traces of heroin on them. 

After taking into account the serious nature of the crime, the magistrate sentenced Bugeja to imprisonment for nine months, also imposing a fine of €2,000. 

The magistrate noted that the woman had previous convictions for prostitution and possession of illicit substances, including heroin and cannabis. However, as the prosecution did not exhibit a copy the judgments establishing her convictions, she was cleared of relapsing.