Man charged after customs find 1.2kg of cannabis in luggage

Abel Hernandez Vazquez, a 32 year old St Julian’s resident, has pleaded not guilty after being arraigned in court on drugs charges.

The Spaniard was arrested on Thursday after customs officials searched his luggage at Malta international airport upon his arrival on a flight from Madrid.

The searches revealed that Hernandez Vazquez was carrying over a kilogram of cannabis together with 100 grams of cannabis resin.

His defence lawyers, Joseph Calleja and Natalino Caruana de Brincat, did not request bail at this stage.

Magistrate Ian Farrugia, presiding, imposed a freezing order over the man’s assets, as required by law.

Inspector Alfredo Mangion prosecuted.