Phone-using motorist who ignored orders to pull over now facing drug trafficking charges

A motorist who failed to stop when police flagged him down for using his phone while driving, ended up facing drug trafficking charges after officers found cannabis, both on his person and during a subsequent search at his home.

Inspector Francesco Mizzi arraigned St. Paul’s Bay resident Mihajlo Gjelev, 23, from Macedonia, before magistrate Lara Lanfranco on Monday, accusing him of trafficking cannabis, possession of the drug in circumstances denoting that it was not intended for his personal use, making a false declaration to the authorities and making use of a forged document.

Gjelev was further charged with driving a car without a driving licence or insurance, carrying a knife in public and using a hand held mobile device while the car he was driving was stationary in traffic.

Inspector Mizzi explained that police officers had noticed Gjelev to be talking on his mobile phone while stopped in traffic. But when the officers approached the car and ordered the driver to pull over, the man drove off.

When he was eventually stopped and searched, the police discovered that he had no driving licence or insurance. In addition to this, cannabis was found in his possession, as was a knife, at which point, he had been arrested.

More cannabis was discovered at his home, which was searched after the police obtained a warrant.

In court this morning, Gjelev pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Defence counsel, lawyer Robert Piscopo, informed the court that he would not be requesting bail at this stage.