Three charged in late night arraignment after police raid finds €50,000, 1kg cocaine

Two men and a woman have been remanded in custody after being arraigned late last night on drug trafficking and money laundering charges.

Michele Artale, a 51-year-old Sicilian, residing in Zurrieq appeared in court, alongside two Dominican nationals whose names are prohibited from publication.

Artale, who also features in a 2014 Italian news report in connection with his arrest for allegedly attempting to ship drugs to Malta, had been arrested in Marsaxlokk by police officers acting on information they received indicating that he was using a property in Hal Far to traffic drugs. Officers had shadowed his movements before stopping him in his car on Monday.

He was found to be carrying €10,000 in cash. Separate searches at the property in Hal Far and Artale’s Zurrieq home netted a kilogramme of what police suspect to be cocaine, together with another €40,000 in cash.

A related raid on a private residence in Msida resulted in the arrest of a 49-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman, both from the Dominican Republic, after items used in the preparation and manufacturing of cocaine were found.

Bail was not requested and the accused were remanded in custody.

Drugs Squad police inspectors Mark Anthony Mercieca and Marshal Mallia prosecuted, together with Inspector Keith Mallan from the Financial Crime Investigations Department.

Lawyer Arthur Azzopardi represented Artale in the proceedings. Lawyers Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri and Noel Bianco appeared for the Dominican nationals.