Man used Balzan garage to store drugs, court told

A man from Santa Venera has been remanded in custody on drug trafficking charges after police said they caught him in the act of selling drugs.

22-year-old Cliven Mallia pleaded not guilty to charges relating to trafficking cannabis.

Police Inspector Jonathan Cassar told Magistrate Joseph Mifsud how the police had received confidential information that the man was trafficking drugs and storing them in a garage in Balzan.

After conducting a surveillance operation, the police had surrounded the accused and moved in to arrest him, allegedly as he was carrying out a drug deal. A search of the accused’s car returned 10g of cannabis, and a later search of his garage uncovered approximately 750g of the drug.

Lawyer Franco Debono requested bail, thanking the courts for  continuing to hold urgent sittings and process urgent applications in such a manner that work in court never came to a complete halt, despite the difficult circumstances. Whilst acknowledging the “responsible and just” way in which work in court had continued Debono invited the court, however to take into consideration such logistical difficulties in its considerations regarding bail

The prosecution objected to the request for bail, arguing that the offence was too grave, the stage too early and that there were still prosecution witnesses who were yet to testify.

Bail was refused at this stage.