Arraigned after brief Easter Sunday chase in Valletta

A young man accused of drug trafficking drove dangerously and in the wrong direction in a desperate attempt to evade the police, a magistrate was told yesterday.

Janis Caruana, 24, of Valletta, who is accused of dealing in heroin and cocaine in the past six months, was arrested on Easter Sunday after days of surveillance by the police.

When he saw members of the Drugs Squad and officers from the Valletta police station approaching he tried to flee by driving through St Dominic Street, Valletta, a one-way street, in his Mazda 323, with the police following.

Police sources said the chase did not last long and the car was quickly boxed-in but Mr Caruana would not give up and continued to resist arrest, assaulting officers in the process before being overpowered and restrained.

He was also charged with relapsing and committing a crime while on probation.

Lawyer Gianluca Caruana Curran did not ask for bail but suggested that Mr Caruana be admitted to the Forensic Unit at Mount Carmel Hospital because of his drug addiction.

Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani Grima acceded to the request.

Police Inspectors Jesmond Borg and James Grech prosecuted.