Police raiding Swieqi house find drugs, handgun, police issue bulletproof vest

Swieqi man Michael Vella has been released on bail this morning, having been arraigned under arrest after police found firearms, drugs and a police bulletproof vest in his possession.

Vella, 30, had been stopped during the night of the 25 January in the Marsa area by police officers who had noted him as acting suspiciously. A search of his vehicle revealed three packets, suspected to contain ecstasy, a penknife and six rounds of ammunition.

The police then searched Vella's Swieqi home, finding a handgun and four loaded ten-round magazines, together with a police bulletproof vest.

Before magistrate Aaron Bugeja this morning, Vella was charged with receiving the stolen body armour, being in possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of less than 1g of a restricted psychotropic substance.

Inspector Daryl Borg informed the court that investigations into the provenance of the bulletproof vest were still underway.

Lawyer Kathleen Grima entered a plea of not guilty and asked for bail. She informed the court that the accused's father had offered to stand in as a guarantor for his son.

The court upheld this request and released Vella on bail against a deposit of €3,000 and a personal guarantee of €1,000.