MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands' cocaine bust: one Spanish sailor pleads guilty

Royal Falkland Islands Police headquarters in Stanley

Two Spanish men appeared in the Falkland Islands court on Monday morning in connection with Thursday's seizure of one million pounds worth of cocaine from the fishing vessel 'Venturer', reported the Islands radio station.

Both men, from Galicia in Spain, were charged with the importation of 30.6 kilograms of cocaine. Twenty six year old Jesus Carballo pleaded guilty, although he did stress that the drugs were never intended for importation into the Falklands while Rogelio Curras, 41, did not enter a plea, as he would be seeking legal representation. The maximum penalty for the importation of cocaine in the Falklands is ten years imprisonment. Four other men were arrested in connection with the matter but have since been released on bail pending further police enquiries. Principal Crown Counsel Ros Cheek gave some details on the circumstances of the cases. Ms Cheek said that very little was known about both men but it is thought that they had only been onboard the Venturer for one season but had worked together for a number of years. Ms Cheek stated that one kilo of cocaine had been found underneath Mr Curras's bunk onboard and that there had been a considerable amount of white powder throughout the bunk and cabin in which he was living. It was revealed that during police interviews Mr Curras had given a number of different accounts although in his most recent interview he had admitted to possessing the kilo under his bed. Mr Carballo gave one full account of what appears to have happened. According to Mr Carballo, he and Mr Curras had obtained all twenty nine packages of cocaine when in a brothel in Montevideo, Uruguay. Mr Carballo said that they were being paid twenty thousand Euros to take the packages back to Spain. Initially all the packages had been placed in Mr Curras's wardrobe. However, halfway through the fishing season, Mr Carballo became concerned that Mr Curras was using the cocaine and moved it to under his own bunk. He had not realised that Mr Curras had concealed and kept one of the packages. An adjournment of one week was granted in order to allow for further investigations to be concluded. Senior Magistrate Clare Faulds refused bail for both men. Sources close to the Falklands' investigation said that the story "of the brothel in Montevideo to have the cocaine sent to Spain via the Falklands" is clearly a front. "No one would give 30 kilos of cocaine to someone they have never met before, it simply does not happen this way".