Darren Desira and Agostino Agius charged with trafficking after 5kg cocaine bust

Two men, both with a history of cocaine trafficking charges, are once again facing charges in connection with the discovery of some 5kg of cocaine in a drug bust in Attard on Monday.

53 year-old Agostino Agius and Darren Desira, 47, were arraigned under arrest before magistrate Astrid May Grima on Tuesday afternoon, charged with possession of cocaine in circumstances denoting it was not solely for their personal use and trafficking the drug.

Agius alone was further charged with breaching bail conditions handed to him in 2016, while Desira was additionally charged with recidivism, the charges citing several previous convictions - all of which seem to have been removed from the courts’ online repository of judgments.

Desira is a convicted cocaine trafficker who had been at the centre of a bribery case involving a judge who jailed him for 18 years in 2012 for trafficking cocaine. 

Agius had been charged with cocaine trafficking and weapons offences in 2016 and had been released on bail in the interim period.

Police Inspector Marshal Mallia, prosecuting together with Inspector Alfredo Agius, told the court how the drugs squad had received confidential information yesterday, indicating that the two men would be involved in a drug deal. Police obtained an arrest warrant and intercepted Desira while he was leaving the block of flats in Attard where Agius resided.

Desira was found to be carrying a paper bag full of cocaine sachets weighing over 1 kg in total.

The police had then entered the residence and arrested Agius, finding digital scales and vacuum sealed packets of cocaine in his kitchen, amounting to around 4kg in total. 

Two suitcases were also found, one of which was open and had a false bottom which was torn open. Traces of drugs were found inside it, the court was told.

Agius, who told the court he worked part time, pleaded not guilty. Desira, who said he was a driver, also denied the charges. Neither of the men requested bail at this stage.

The prosecution requested a freezing order, which the defence objected to.

The court upheld the request and imposed freezing orders on both men, preventing them from transferring or disposing of all monies or property belonging to the defendants, except €600 which they can withdraw every 15 days.
Agius was assisted by lawyers Franco Debono and Matthew Xuereb. Lawyers Giannella De Marco and Francois Dalli assisted Desira.