‘There was a blitz': accused tells mother during raid, breaking police orders
The accused was allowed one phone call to mother who was travelling to Malta that night
One of four arrested in a drug bust went against police orders during a search of her Manikata residence and told her mother she could not pick her up from the airport as there had been a "blitz".
The woman, who is one of the accused in a drug trafficking and organised crime case, was arrested by the police while walking her dog, following weeks of surveillance.
The compilation of evidence against her and three others kicked off on Wednesday with testimony from police officers.
Inspector Mark Mercieca testified first. He said that his team had received a tip-off in April about possible drug-related activity at a residence in Manikata.
He sent for a surveillance team to monitor the area and ordered database searches to understand who lives at or uses the residence.
During the first days of surveillance, police identified Florin Serbanescu and Alessia Di Pasquale as active residents. They were seen entering and leaving the residence and making contact with third parties.
Eventually, the police asked to carry out an arrest and search warrant on the suspects and their property. This was approved on April 10.
On April 14, the surveillance team caught Di Pasquale leaving the residence to walk her dog.
Police officers arrested her and asked her to open the door to the residence using the keys she had on her.
When police officers gained access to the residence, they found three men sitting around a table drinking beer and smoking cigarettes.
These men were Alexandru Basa, Teodor Barbulescu and a third man who has not yet been arrested but is under investigation. Upstairs, the police found and arrested Serbanescu.
During the search operation, police found several substances suspected to be drugs, including pills, cocaine, LSD and cannabis plant and resin.
Police also found weighing scales and sealable bags, which the inspector described as intended for drug packaging.
There were also 20 plants of cannabis in the house: 17 on the roof and three in the garden. The three men immediately claimed ownership of the plants, but did not do the same for the pills and powders.
During the search, Di Pasquale asked the police to make a phone call to her mother. She was to arrive in Malta that night and was expecting Di Pasquale to pick her up at the airport.
The police officer allowed this under strict conditions. She was not to mention that an investigation was underway or that she was under arrest, and the call was to happen on speakerphone.
She called her mum, saying that she would not be able to pick her up from the airport, but she also said that “there had been a blitz”. Her mother fell silent upon hearing this, and the call was cut short.
During counter-examination, the inspector confirmed that Di Pasquale had only been living in the apartment for a couple of months.
He said she was never found in direct possession of drugs but was seen acting suspiciously outside of the property, such as leaving the house at random times and making brief contact with people in cars, as if they were exchanging something.
Two other police officers testified, confirming the details of the searches and the substances seized.
Magistrate Antoine Agius Bonnici presided over the hearing.
AG lawyer Julian Scicluna is prosecuting, assisted by police inspector Mark Mercieca.
Lawyers Jason Azzopardi, Kris Busietta and Alessandro Farrugia are assisting Di Pasquale and Serbanescu.
Legal aid lawyer Mark Mifsud Cutajar is assisting Basa.
Legal aid lawyer Maria Karlsson is assisting Barbulescu.