Man charged with possession of two kilograms of heroin released on bail

A Qormi man who was charged earlier this month after police discovered two kilograms of heroin hidden in his washing machine has been released on bail, after spending the past

three weeks in custody.

Nicholas Farrugia, 31, had been taken into custody during an operation coordinated by the police drug squad on September 30.

Two kilograms of what police suspect to be heroin were found, together with half a kilogram of suspected cocaine, during the Saturday morning raid.

Farrugia was arrested in Marsa at around 6:30am on Saturday. A search of his vehicle returned three mobile phones together with a number of sachets of substances thought to be drugs, which were already packaged and ready to be sold.

A subsequent search of a Luqa property owned by the man led to the discovery of the heroin and cocaine, concealed inside a washing machine drum. The drugs were estimated to have have a street value of €130,000.

Inspector Jonathan Pace had charged Farrugia possession of cocaine and heroin with the intent to traffic, breaching previous bail conditions and recidivism.

When the case against Farrugia continued on Monday, the court heard a scene of crime officer who had gone to the scene and to document the drugs discovered in the Toyota Vitz and the farmhouse. The objects were photographed and catalogued and fingerprints were lifted, he said.

At the end of the brief sitting today, magistrate Elaine Mercieca upheld a bail application that had previously been filed by the defence, releasing Farrugia from arrest against an €8,000 deposit and a €10,000 personal guarantee.

Lawyers Franco Debono, Arthur Azzopardi and Jacob Magri are representing Farrugia.