Couple get 11 years’ jail term over trafficking drugs

A husband and wife were jailed for six years and fined €23,000 each over charges of trafficking ecstasy and possession of cocaine, back in 2008. Robert and Pauline Cilia were expected to face a trial by jury today, but filed a guilty plea after securing a plea bargaining agreement.

On 25 May 2008, the couple met with a certain Jeffrey Zammit at Marsa and together drove to Naxxar to sell a substantial amount of ecstasy pills to third parties. The husband had bought the pills from a Dutch person some days before. However the police stopped and searched the FIAT Uno the three were travelling in. The car belonged to Pauline Cilia. When the police searched the passengers of the car, Robert Cilia was found to be carrying 1,000 pills containing MCCP, better known as ecstasy pills. The street value of the pills was €9990.

The police also searched the couple's residence in Qrendi. 38 ecstasy pills and traces of cocaine were found at the Cilia's home.

On 11 November the accused reached a plea bargaining agreement and filed a guilty plea.

Mr Justice Michael Mallia imprisoned the couple for six years and fined them €23,000 each. The fine is to be converted into jail time unless paid within 15 days. The court also ordered the accused to pay €5526 in court expenses and transferred the vehicle in which the accused were apprehended to the government.