Court denies bail to man accused of drug trafficking

A man accused of drug trafficking became emotional in court on Monday as his lawyer pleaded for rehabilitation, insisting his client “wants his child to come to see the Josef I used to be”.

Josef Galea, 32, from Fgura, pleaded not guilty to charges of cocaine and cannabis trafficking after officers from the police anti-drug squad arrested him following a surveillance operation.

Police had received an anonymous tip-off alleging that Galea was trafficking drugs from the vicinity of his home and through the use of a vehicle linked to him. At the time of his arrest on Saturday afternoon, Galea was already out on bail since 2019, and was required to sign his bail book twice daily. Prosecutors noted that he had failed to sign earlier that same morning.

Police inspector Nico Zarb explained that officers moved in after Galea was seen making contact with another individual who had arrived near his residence in a Toyota vehicle. The second man was also arrested and a search of the Toyota allegedly yielded a packet containing a substance suspected to be cocaine.

Further searches uncovered a small amount of cannabis, weighing scales and dozens of small plastic bags with their corners cut off, which were identical to a bag allegedly found inside the Toyota.

Defence lawyer Nicholas Mifsud argued that his client’s circumstances had deteriorated sharply over the past eight months after losing his full-time employment as a driver. Galea had allegedly been dismissed and replaced by other workers, after which his life “took an unfortunate tangent”.

“He is not beyond saving,” Mifsud insisted. “He himself wants help.”

Addressing the court’s concerns over drug abuse, the lawyer argued that Galea was not “some user who has been completely gone for years”, but rather someone who had recently spiralled following the loss of his job and financial stability.

Galea shook his head repeatedly as the prosecution outlined its objections to bail.

Mifsud said that Galea had told him, “I want my child to come to see the Josef I used to be.” The defence also stressed that Galea lives with his grandfather and had expressed willingness to undergo treatment and comply with a supervision order or probation programme.

However, the prosecution objected to bail, arguing that Galea had no registered employment since November and no stable source of income. They raised concerns about his recent failure to observe bail conditions.

“We already trusted him once with bail,” Ciappara told the court, adding that while Galea may eventually find work, “the chances are remote” at present.

In denying the request for bail, the court cited the ongoing nature of investigations, the existence of civilian witnesses yet to testify, the risk of interference with evidence, and Galea’s unstable personal circumstances, including unemployment and drug dependency.

The court concluded that the accused required professional assistance to address his addiction before he could be trusted with release. A supervision order was granted.

The prosecution was led by inspectors Nadia Ciappara and Nico Zarb. Lawyer Nicholas Mifsud appeared for the defence.