Updated | Man arrested in drugs bust was out on bail over €800,000 haul

Melvin Debono, nicknamed 'il-Quws', has been arrested another time after police found drugs and large sums of cash in his private vehicle

Melvin Debono, aged 30 from Paola, is one of seven people who have been arrested over drug trafficking and money laundering. 

In February this year, Debono was granted bail after having been arrested in a police raid last year, in which €800,000 worth of luxury cars, gold and cash were recovered. 

He was also arrested over death threats and dangerous driving back in July, and again released on bail. This was his third concurrent release from arrest.

This week, Debono was one of three men arrested in a drugs bust operation. Police received a tip that the men had drugs in their posession and were making use of different vehicles all the time.

Police observed the men from a distance, eventually stopping them at Triq l-Imdina, Qormi.

They searched the vehicle the suspects were in, eventually finding a substantial amount of drugs, suspected to be cocaine, ready for trafficking.

Police also confiscated large sums of money, while carrying out additional searches in their private residences and in a car showroom.

Two other raids led to the arrest of four people, two boys and two girls, over drug trafficking and money laundering. They are said to be between 17 and 24 years of age.

The first bust was carried out in a cart garage at Triq it-Tiġrija, Marsa. Police found several sachets of suspected drug substances, namely heroin and cocaine, as well as a substantial amount of cash.

On the same site, police confiscated electronic devices, three cars, and gold. Among the devices seized were CCTV cameras and monitors, while the three cars were of BMW, Jaguar, and Mercedes make.

Officials from the Animal Welfare Department were called to the garage, where there was a racing horse and pitbull dog.

In a separate raid at Triq is-Serkin, Marsa, police found substantial amounts of cocaine and heroin ready to be sold. In total, 120 sachets of drug substances were seized.

A magisterial inquiry has been opened for both cases. The four people will be brought to court on Thursday in front of Magistrate Josette Demicoli. Investigations on the first three men are ongoing.