12 years jail in drugs trial

A 28-year-old man from Qormi was yesterday jailed for 12 years and fined €25,000 after a jury found him guilty of conspiring to traffic in 3.5 kilogrammes of cannabis resin.

Chris Grech was seen hiding the drugs during a surveillance operation by the police near the Splash and Fun Park in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq on May 18, 2006.

Police Inspector Nezren Grixti testified on Monday that, on the day in question, Mr Grech arrived in a white Peugeot 406 near a field in the White Rocks area accompanied by another man. Officers saw the passenger hide a sack of drugs in some bushes.

A short time later, Mr Grech returned to the same area and when a police officer emerged to arrest him, he fled. He was arrested the following day when he went to the police headquarters of his own accord.

The case rested mainly on a single fingerprint left by Mr Grech on one of 14 blocks of cannabis resin.

Jurors deliberated for about four hours before finding Mr Grech guilty by six votes to three of conspiring to traffic in the drug and by seven votes to two of possession of the drug in circumstances indicating it was not for his exclusive use.

In submissions on punishment, defence lawyer Emmanuel Mallia said his client had no previous police record and asked the judge to hand down a jail term as happened in similar cases.