Jury acquits man charged with 1.2kg heroin possession

A jury has acquitted Jason Borg of aggravated heroin possession, ending an eight-year legal case stemming from a 2017 Marsa drug raid that uncovered a substantial amount of low-purity heroin.

On Thursday, a jury acquitted 47-year-old Jason Borg of Birkirkara of aggravated heroin possession, ending an eight-year legal case that originated from a 2017 drug raid in Marsa. The court, presided over by Judge Neville Camilleri, found Borg not guilty by eight votes to one.

Borg had been charged with possession of 1.2kg of heroin, discovered during a Drug Squad raid at Marsa stables on 19 September 2017. The substances, found inside a white bag that Borg handed to police, were later analysed by forensic experts and found to contain only 0.2% to 0.5% purity levels, equivalent to less than six grams of active heroin with an estimated street value of €72,000 to €93,600.

During the raid, police also searched Borg’s garage, known locally as “Ta’ Maħmaħ” in Triq is-Serkin, and another property in Jockey’s Lane, resulting in the arrest of Nicholas and Shana Farrugia, who were linked to the same batch of drugs. The prosecution argued that Borg had no licence or medical authorisation for the substance, which constituted aggravated possession under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance.

The trial, which opened earlier this month, included an on-site inspection of the Marsa premises to reconstruct events from the 2017 raid.

The prosecution was represented by Kevin Valletta and Cynthia Tomasuolo from the Attorney General’s Office, while Borg was defended by Dr Mario Mifsud and Dr Lennox Vella. Borg consistently maintained that the substances had been held for Nicholas Farrugia and were voluntarily handed to the police.

Following the jury’s verdict on Thursday, Judge Camilleri formally acquitted Borg under and ordered his release unless held for other matters.