Foreign Cocaine plane traffickers receive millions of dollars in fines, jail sentences

For the trafficking of 639.9 lbs of cocaine, two men, a Brazilian and Colombian, were each slapped with a $493.5 million. The duo also received several years of imprisonment for the crime.

The men received the sentence after they illegally landed a plane last Sunday that had a large quantity of cocaine and marijuana with a street value of millions at the Mahdia Airstrip. .

The men charged have been identified as a 23-year-old Brazilian national Mateus Vinicius Pontes Alberto,and a 43-year-old Colombian national Rodrigues Canon Dandres Estiven.

See full press release from the Police Headquarters-

1. Cocaine matter – both defendants fined $435,380,640 (GC) and sentenced to 4 years and 6 months imprisonment, respectively.
2. Cannabis matter– both defendants fined $49,171,680 (GC) and sentenced to 4 years and 6 months imprisonment, respectively.
3. Operating a civil aircraft without airworthiness certificate – both defendants fined $2,000,000 (GC) and (1) year imprisonment, respectively.
4. Interference with an aircraft – both defendants fined $2,000,000 (GC) and (1) year imprisonment, respectively.
5. Operating an aircraft without insurance – both defendants fined $3,000,000 (GC) or (1) year imprisonment, respectively.
6. False or misleading aircraft marking – both defendants fined $2,000,000 (GC) or (1) year imprisonment, respectively.

All the sentenced to run together/concurrently.