Portuguese drug courier sentenced to seven years behind bars

A 29-year-old Portuguese transsexual has been sentenced to seven years in prison and handed a €21,000 fine after pleading guilty to smuggling some half a kilo of heroin in his stomach.

In its decree earlier this week, the Criminal Court presided by Mr Justice Michael Mallia, heard how back in May 2013, Ruben Dos Santos Crisostomo, who comes from Porto, had arrived in Malta on a flight from Turkey carrying 45 heroin capsules in his stomach.

Despite passing through airport customs, the drug courier was then tracked to a hotel in Sliema and arrested after police had received an anonymous tip-off. He was then found to be in possession of the heroin, and was subsequently charged of importing heroin, conspiring to selling heroin, and of heroin possession.

The police’s investigations also saw them press charges against Libyan Mahmed Amber Mahmud Ali after the latter, who was mentioned during Crisostomo’s police statement, was caught in possession of €2,000 in cash at the same Sliema hotel.

The Libyan had claimed that he had called in at the hotel to deliver food to the Portuguese drug mule. Nevertheless, he was charged of conspiring to traffic half a kilo of heroin.

He had pleaded not guilty and is currently still awaiting judgment.

Mr Justice Michael Mallia sentenced Crisostomo to seven years in prison, fined him €21,000, and ordered him to €1,467.23 in court expenses.

Inspector Nikolai Sant prosecuted.