Man jailed 14 years over cannabis trafficking

A Romanian man has been sentenced to 14 years in prison and fined €15,000 after admitting to drug trafficking and possession charges involving a cannabis plant and other psychotropic substances.

The sentence was handed down after accepting a joint recommendation filed by the prosecution and the defence.

The accused, Ion Palade, had been charged before the Court of Magistrates as a Court of Criminal Inquiry, accused of associating with other persons in Malta and abroad for the purpose of selling and trafficking cannabis.

He was also charged with being in possession of the drug without the necessary authorisation from the health authorities, and further charges related to the unauthorised possession of a restricted psychotropic substance.

The offences date back to early March 2025, with investigators linking Palade to a wider drug-trafficking network operating between Malta and other jurisdictions. The prosecution had requested the seizure of all money and property belonging to the accused, as well as the confiscation of any assets derived from the offences.

During proceedings held on 1 September 2025, Palade pleaded guilty to all the charges. The Court explained the legal consequences of his plea and the maximum penalties provided by law, granting him time to reconsider before confirming his admission.

The following week, the Attorney General formally declared that the charges would be treated as a bill of indictment, given that the offences carried prison terms exceeding twelve years.

On 17 September 2025, a joint application was filed by the Attorney General and the defence requesting that the Criminal Court impose a sentence of fourteen years’ imprisonment together with a €15,000 fine.

The joint recommendation also included the confiscation of all property and assets belonging to the accused. When the case was heard on 30 September, both parties confirmed the plea agreement, with the accused stating that he fully understood the consequences of his admission and agreed with the proposed punishment.

In delivering judgment, the court noted that the accused had a clean criminal record and that his admission of guilt had been entered before the indictment stage, indicating a degree of cooperation with the authorities.

Nevertheless, the gravity of the offences was emphasised, which involved organised criminal activity and the trafficking of controlled substances, describing such crimes as posing a significant danger to society.

Having taken all relevant factors into account, the court imposed the jointly recommended sentence of fourteen years in prison and a €15,000 fine, finding it to be within the legal parameters for the offences charged.

In addition, the court ordered the accused to pay one-quarter of the expert costs incurred in the proceedings, amounting to €3,394.97, within two years. Failure to do so would result in an additional term of imprisonment.

The court further ordered the confiscation of all assets, money, and property belonging to the accused, together with the destruction of all seized drugs and related items once the judgment becomes final.

The sentence, the court said, reflects the seriousness with which the judiciary continues to treat large-scale drug trafficking offences, balancing an element of leniency for the guilty plea with the need to protect society from the harm caused by the trade in dangerous drugs.

The court was presided over by Judge Neville Camilleri. The defence was led by lawyers Jose Herrera, Martina Herrera, and Naomi Spiteri, whilst the prosecution was led by AG lawyer Maria Francesca Spiteri.