From Sicily to Żebbuġ: Men charged with €700,000 illegal cannabis haul

Updated at 4:15pm with arraignment details

Two men have been remanded in custody on drug trafficking charges after they were arrested by police officers who tailed them to Żebbuġ from Sicily and discovered 34kg of cannabis, worth some €700,000.

In a statement issued before the arraignments, the police said the arrests had been carried out after they had received information the two individuals were trafficking drugs from Sicily to Malta. The police said the two had been using a Żebbuġ garage to store the drugs.

Late on Saturday evening, the Drugs Squad, with the assistance of the Rapid Intervention Unit, followed the van to the garage after it arrived from Sicily.

The garage was surrounded by the police and two cars were stopped from leaving the property. The two men, aged 39 and 36 were then arrested and taken to the Floriana lockup.

First to be charged on Monday afternoon was Qormi resident Terence Cini, 36.

Inspector Alfredo Mangion told the court that confidential information received last Saturday concerned a van arriving from Sicily, which was carrying illegal substances. Surveillance was set up and the van was followed to a garage in Żebbuġ. In the garage police found just under €300,000 in cash, and inside a hidden compartment in the van, 34 bags of suspected cannabis were discovered.

Lawyer Franco Debono, appearing for Cini, together with lawyers Marion Camilleri and Alfred Abela, asked about his client’s connection to the drugs. The police had used his keys to open the garage, explained the inspector, adding that they had been seen leaving the garage in other vehicles.

The inspector confirmed that Cini had been given his rights before being taken into custody. Debono did not contest the validity of the arrest.

Cini, who was out on bail for several other offences and which were secured by a total of €198,000, refused to answer when asked his occupation by the court. He pleaded not guilty to the charges. The court refused to impose a ban on the publication of the man’s nickname, which his lawyers said was used in his shops. 

Second to be charged was Kevin Mifsud, 39, from Żebbuġ. He was accused of complicity in trafficking cannabis, importing cannabis grass and possession of cannabis in circumstances that indicated it was not solely for his personal use. He was also charged with attempted grievous bodily harm on police officers, disobeying police orders, as well as reckless and dangerous driving. He was further charged with money laundering and recidivism.

The court was told that he had been arrested together with Cini. Mifsud, who told the court that he drives rubbish trucks for a living, also pleaded not guilty to the charges. Lawyers Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri, Alfred Abela, Michael Sciriha and Christopher Chircop appeared for Kevin Mifsud.

Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras presided the arraignment.

Bail was not requested. Both men were remanded in custody.