By A Correspondent- A 22 year old Brazilian national who was convicted for dealing in dangerous drugs on Monday has been sentenced to 10 years in jail.

Guilherme Sodre Alvernaz DA Silveria, who was found in possession of more than 4 kilogrammes of cocaine worth over ZWL$30 million, was slapped with a ten-year jail term on Tuesday.

In passing the sentence, Harare magistrate, Ignatio Mhene, said the convict deserved the maximum sentence as cocaine is a dangerous drug that is detrimental to people’s health.

The magistrate added that the stiff penalty will send a message to other drug dealers that Zimbabwe is a no go area.

Da Silveria from Sao Paulo in Brazil was arrested on 7 April on landing at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport aboard an Ethiopian Airways flight.

He was found in possession of 4.3kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of more than ZWL$30 million.

Da Silveria was intercepted by a team comprising of detectives from CID Drugs and Narcotics Harare, Canine Harare, CID Homicide Harare and CID Law and Order Harare.

The law enforcement agents conducted searches in his luggage, leading to the seizure of a whitish powder that was wrapped in silver foil paper stashed in the lining of the accused’s black jacket.

Preliminary field tests were done on the powder in the presence of Da Silveria and it tested positive for cocaine.

He becomes the second foreigner to be jailed in two months for illegally dealing in dangerous drugs after a South African woman was jailed for 12 years.-statemedia