No bail for drug trafficker Jordan Azzopardi, arrested with 130g cocaine

Drug baron Jordan Azzopardi has been accused of trafficking 130g of cocaine which he disposed during a police car chase on Friday.

Azzopardi, previously out on bail after being accused of running a secret drugs ‘factory’ in Wardija, was arrested by police in Madliena on Friday afternoon.

In a Saturday arraignment before Magistrate Lara Lanfranco, Inspector Alfredo Mangion said that on Friday police received information that Azzopardi was involved in drug trafficking activity.

Police intercepted Azzopardi driving a BMW X3 in the direction of Ghargur. Two police cars managed to block Azzopardi’s vehicle, when he reversed the car and drove to the other side of the road, hitting two vehicles, including one where a woman was driving with her kids.

According to the prosecution, Azzopardi was seen throwing a bag out of the car, as the police chased him further down the road. Eventually police managed to get Azzopardi to stop.

Police managed to retrieve the bag later on, found to contain 130g of suspected cocaine. A search was carried out at Azzopardi’s residence in Madliena.

Azzopardi pleaded not guilty to the charges and the defence did not request bail at this stage.

The court accepted the prosecution’s request for the freezing of Azzopardi’s assets. The defence objected, saying that through a recent order, the accused’s assets were already hit by a freezing order.

Lawyers Franco Debono, Charles Mercieca, Marion Camilleri and Robert Montalto appeared for the accused.

Azzopardi was detained along with his girlfriend in March 2019, following police raids on his properties used for drug trafficking. He stands charged with drug trafficking, criminal conspiracy, money laundering, circulation of counterfeit cash, possession of an unlicensed weapon, threatening and injuring a third party and breaching previous bail conditions.

But Azzopardi was granted bail in 2021, his conditions including signing a bail book every day, observing a curfew and other conditions. It was secured by a €150,000 personal guarantee. A third-party guarantor was also required to provide a €50,000 guarantee which would also be forfeited if Azzopardi breached his bail conditions.