Taxi driver jailed for hiding cannabis in fuel cap

A taxi driver who stashed over 13g of cannabis in his cab's petrol cap has been jailed for nine months and fined nearly €1,000

Three foil-wrapped packets of cannabis, weighing 13.36g in total, were found under the vehicle's fuel cap (File photo)
Three foil-wrapped packets of cannabis, weighing 13.36g in total, were found under the vehicle's fuel cap (File photo)

A taxi driver who stashed enough cannabis to make 66 joints in his cab's petrol cap has been jailed for nine months on drug trafficking charges and fined nearly €1,000.

Antonio Frendo, 69 from Birkirkara had been arrested after police, acting on a tip-off searched his taxi, which was parked outside a Paceville club. Three foil-wrapped packets of cannabis, weighing 13.36g in total, were found under the vehicle's fuel cap.

The accused had confessed to owning the drugs but had insisted that there only intended for personal use.

He claimed that he had ended up in possession of the drugs because two Italian passengers had paid him in cannabis.

Presiding magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras, however, pointed out that cannabis cigarettes normally contain around 0.2g of the drug, which meant that the amount recovered from the taxi could make up to 66 joints. The court also noted that the fact that the drugs were found, divided into three packets of almost identical weight, indicated that they were not for Frendo's personal use.

The magistrate also highlighted inconsistencies in the accused’s explanation. He had initially explained that the drugs had been hidden for safekeeping, but later said that he had done so to hide them from his girlfriend.

Frendo was found guilty of aggravated possession of the drug, as the circumstances indicated that it was not for his personal use.

In its sentencing considerations, the court observed that the accused had, in the past, been found guilty of several traffic violations, corruption of minors, perjury and VAT related offences. Frendo was jailed for nine months and fined €950.