Man in possession of 12.5g of cannabis is charged with aggravated possession

A 23-year-old delivery driver from Santa Luċija has been granted bail under strict conditions, after being charged with aggravated possession of cannabis and breaching previous bail terms.

Leon Mizzi, from Santa Luċija, pleaded not guilty to the charges of being in possession of cannabis in circumstances indicating it was not for his exclusive use, breaching bail conditions imposed by a decree issued in February 2024, and being a recidivist.

The court heard that on 6 October 2025, police officers noticed a vehicle in Paola registered under the name of a person who did not hold a valid driving licence.

They decided to stop the car, in which Mizzi was seated in the passenger seat. While speaking to the driver about the licence issue, officers observed that Mizzi appeared “excited and nervous.”

On the basis of reasonable suspicion, they searched him and found 12.5g of cannabis on his person and €150 in cash. He was exceeding the legal limit of seven grams.  A subsequent search of his residence yielded no further findings of substance.

The prosecution explained that investigations are still ongoing and that Mizzi’s mobile phone had been seized for data extraction. Moreover, they objected to bail, citing Mizzi’s unreliability, past breaches of bail, and the fact that he was facing serious offences involving drugs. It also pointed out that the accused had previously been convicted of similar offences.

The defence argued that Mizzi had a fixed address, that the amount seized was marginally above the legal threshold, and that cannabis today is different to other substances. They insisted that bail should be the rule, not the exception, remarking that “for a few grams of cannabis, he is not granted bail?”

After hearing both sides, the court noted her serious doubts about Mizzi’s reliability, but nonetheless granted him the benefit of the doubt and that he could benefit more from rehabilitation than detention.

The court ordered his release on bail under a €1,000 deposit and a €10,000 personal guarantee, requiring him to report to the police station four times a week, observe a nightly curfew and follow a rehabilitation programme under a treatment order, and submit weekly urine samples while under probation supervision.

Any breach of these conditions would lead to his immediate re-arrest and the forfeiture of the total €11,000 guarantee.

Inspector Chantelle Mifsud, assisted by AG lawyer Godwin Cini, prosecuted, whilst defence lawyers José Herrera, Naomi Spiteri, and Martina Herrera assisted the accused. The case was presided over by Magistrate Monica Vella.