Drug supplier to Valletta couple hid illegal substances in horse manure

A man arrested at a stable in Marsa told police he worked as a drug supplier for Judith Bakoush and Murat Nazwan.

Bakoush and Nazwan are facing separate drug trafficking charges. The court heard in an earlier sitting on Wednesday how the couple instructed Bakoush’s son to throw away the drugs if police raided their home.

In a separate but linked case, Joseph Borg, was arrested on the same day as Bakoush and Nazwan and charged with drug trafficking.

Inspector Kevin Pulis told the court on Wednesday that Borg led the police to drugs which he had hidden in a pile of horse manure. 

Joseph Debono, known as il-Makari, and who acted as a runner for Bakoush and Nazwan, was also arrested at the stable in Marsa, where Borg was found.

Borg told the police that he had hidden drugs in the horse’s manure. A considerable amount of heroin and cocaine, as well as synthetic drugs and heroin were found concealed in the piles of horse manure and feed. 

Borg was questioned at police headquarters, having refused legal assistance, where he admitted that the drugs were in his possession with the intention of trafficking. Borg told police he had fallen on hard times and went back to selling drugs to make a living. He has other pending drug cases, explained the inspector. 

With regards Bakoush and Nazwan, Borg said he had been selling them drugs for several days. There was no pattern, one of them would call him and specify an amount and they would meet, generally in the Valletta property and transfer the drugs. The pair had outstanding debt with him, he said.

He released a statement, picking out pictures of Bakoush and Nazwan from a line up. 

Borg collaborated with the police investigation.

Defence lawyers Charles Mercieca, Gianluca Caruana Curran and Ana Thomas asked that submissions on their client’s bail request be dealt with in the next sitting.