Former stowaway accused of importing cocaine

A man charged with importing $1 million worth of cocaine had the drug couriered to him hidden behind photographs of African women, a court heard yesterday.

Jumaa Omar Mbawala has pleaded not guilty to 26 charges of importing cocaine, one charge of possessing cocaine and one charge of supplying the drug to persons unknown.

Crown Prosecutor Jonathan Down told the jury in his opening address that Mbawala had the drugs couriered to New Zealand in packages addressed to people at motels around Auckland.

The drugs were hidden between photographs of an African woman and a corrugated cardboard backing.

Mr Down told the High Court at Auckland that Customs intercepted three packages in routine checks.

Investigations tracked a further 23 packages that had originated from Tanzania and contained about 2.5kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of about $1 million.

Mbawala had arrived in New Zealand in October 1996 stowed away on a ship that arrived from South Africa.

He was given a visitors permit and applied for refugee status and residency but failed.

Mbawala had been in the country illegally since April 2002, Mr Down said.

Records would show large sums of money passed through Mbawala's accounts.

"He has had no legitimate source of income yet the evidence will show quite a high level of spending."

He told the court Mbawala was getting ready to return to Tanzania when he was arrested.

He had been preparing to buy property and send money and a car home.

Mbawala was arrested after Customs intercepted one package in May last year. The package was analysed and the presence of cocaine confirmed, the court heard.

It was repackaged and delivered to the Auckland motel that it had been addressed to.

Mbawala had checked into the motel a day earlier and then left, then phoned to see if the package had arrived, Mr Down said.

He said Mbawala went to the motel to collect the package in a taxi and was arrested by police.

Mbawala's lawyer Hugh Leabourn did not make an opening statement.

The trial is set down for nine days.