Belgian couple admit to importing 10kg of cocaine, as Maltese men deny involvement

A Belgian couple have admitted to importing 10kg of cocaine from Sicily after an international police operation disrupted a drug trafficking ring on Sunday. Two Maltese taxi drivers who were also arrested in connection with the operation have denied related charges this morning.

Police inspectors Kevin Pulis and Frank Anthony Tabone arraigned 51-year-old Carine Rose Marijke Donckers and Johnny Jos Haest, 46, before Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech in the first of three arraignments related to the weekend's arrests.

The Belgian couple were apprehended in Msida shortly after their arrival on a catamaran from Pozzallo, Sicily.

Police officers had followed them to their hotel and had reportedly observed the couple switching vehicles before driving away. After stopping their car near Msida, police found the drugs stashed inside the vehicle. Two Maltese men were also arrested in the course of the police operation. The arrests were the culmination of 10 months of intense police work, involving both Maltese and Belgian police forces.

Haest and a frail looking Donckers, who appeared in court with a nasal cannula attached to a medical device, held hands in the dock as they pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import cocaine, importing, distributing and possessing the drug. The couple, who have no fixed address in Malta, also admitted to having, during the month of April, conspired with others to import and deal cocaine and cannabis grass, as well as aggravated possession of the two substances. The prosecution informed the court that the couple had cooperated with the police investigation.

In view of Donckers' and Haest's admission, the court ordered that the records of the inquiry, together with all exhibits be transmitted to the Attorney General, who will decide whether to indict the pair or remit the case to the Court of Magistrates for sentencing. It upheld the prosecution's request for the issuing of a freezing order over all of the couple's assets in Malta. Bail was not requested.

The police are believed to have been led to the Belgian couple by information garnered from the arrest of taxi drivers Mario Vella from Safi and Jason Mamo from Birkirkara who were also arraigned today. 41-year-old Vella was charged with conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of cocaine and possession of cannabis, whilst Mamo, 38, was also accused of having conspired to import both drugs in April.

Both Maltese accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and did not request bail. All assets belonging to the two men were also frozen, on court orders.

Lawyer Victor Bugeja was defence counsel to Donckers and Haest. Lawyers Giannella De Marco and Gianluca Caruana Curran appeared on behalf of Vella and Mamo, respectively.