Italian in €450,000 drug bust gets bail on third request

A court has upheld a third request for bail after successive refusals, filed by Italian national Gennaro Russo, 29, who stands charged with drug trafficking after large amounts of cocaine and cannabis were found in various properties linked to him – totalling some €450,000 in drug street value.

Bail was granted by Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras after having previously denied him bail twice, at €20,000 deposit and a €30,000 personal guarnatee.

Russo was arraigned on 17 December after he was arrested in Naxxar, found to have been carrying cocaine and cannabis in his man-bag.

A search of the suspect and his car was carried out, with sachets of illegal substances were found on Russo’s person and €20,000 in cash recovered from his car.

Using his keys, police opened a garage in St Paul’s Bay where they found big bags of what appeared to be cannabis grass and cannabis resin, as well as a block of a white substance they suspected to be cocaine.

A subsequent search of the accused’s residence discovered more cannabis grass in his kitchen and cash hidden in his wardrobe. Another drug find was made in an Msida garage.

Over €200,000 in bundles of €5,000 cash were found in the St Paul’s Bay garage.

In total, 41 packets of cannabis resin, weighing a total of 3.9kg, were found, as well as 41 containers of cannabis grass weighing about 10kg, together with around a kilogram of cocaine.

Russo’s defence lawyers are Matthew Xuereb, Alex Scerri Herrera, Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri, and Roberto Spiteri.

READ ALSO: Italian man arrested in connection with drug trafficking, remanded in custody