Man with 'minor role' in importing 10kg of cannabis gets two months in jail

A man has been jailed for two months for his part in an operation to import 10kg of cannabis to Malta.

Alan Muscat from Birkirkara was 23 when he was arraigned in 2010, accused of conspiracy to import cannabis, as well as trafficking and simple possession of the drug.

Muscat had originally been charged together with Henry Grogan, Neville Mamo and Luke Muscat, but in 2014, the Criminal Court had sent Alan Muscat’s case back to the Courts of Magistrates to be tried separately in view of his minor role in the criminal conspiracy. Two years later, Muscat had admitted to the charges and requested a pre-sentencing report.

The court, after hearing his probation officer testify in 2016 and hearing the testimony of the accused’s brother in March 2019 noted that the defence had declared its evidence closed.

In June 2019, after being given time to reconsider, Muscat reaffirmed his guilty plea to the court and was sentenced.

In sentencing the accused, Magistrate Neville Camilleri said a custodial sentence was mandatory, but noting that the Criminal Court had described the man’s role in the criminal enterprise as “small,” as well as having seen reports by the man’s probation officer and the fact that the man had assisted the police with information leading to the arrest of his co-conspirators, the court of magistrates handed him a two month prison sentence and a fine of €200. He was also ordered to pay €427 in costs.

As happens in drug trafficking cases, the court ordered the confiscation of all Muscat’s liquid and fixed assets in favour of the government.

Superintendent Johann Fenech and Inspector Jesmond Borg prosecuted. Lawyer Jason Grima was defence counsel.