The seven-year old son of a woman who was arrested during a police raid on a Valletta property tried to hide drug sachets as the police officers stormed in, a court was told on Wednesday.
Judith Bakoush and Morat Abdikadir Mohammed Naswan, both 31, are pleading not guilty to drug trafficking charges.
A third suspect arrested in a related police raid in Marsa last week also pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges at his arraignment.
Inspector Kevin Pulis testified that over the last months police had been monitoring the Valletta property where the couple lived, following information about drug trafficking and usury.
Officers observed a lot of comings and goings at the residence on Old Hospital Street, confirming suspicions of drug trafficking business.
The visitors were persons known to police in drug circles. They stayed at the tenement for only few minutes, explained Pulis.
Surveillance also focused on another residence further up the street where Bakoush’s mother and brother lived.
On August 23 police moved in with the raids at both addresses after Inspector Mark Anthony Mercieca from the Drug Squad obtained search and arrest warrants.
The plan was to arrest the couple at Valletta police station when they turned up to sign bail book. Then proceed to residences.
However at around 10am the couple turned up on a motorcycle, Naswan driving and Bakoush riding pillion.
The property was found to be totally fortified - doors, windows and all openings were barred up.
Items linked to drugs found inside.
A seven-year-old boy was found inside the solitary bedroom, evidently afraid.
When Inspector Mercieca spoke to the child and guided him downstairs to wait for his mummy, the boy confessed that he had thrown away something under a folded double bed.
He said that was what he had been instructed to do if police turned up. Some drug sachets were later found in a corner of the room.
Appoġġ (care agency) were called in to take care of the child and he is currently under a temporary care order.
Inspector Mark Anthony Mercieca said another five or six people, clearly drug customers, were also arrested during the raid after being found in possession of drug sachets.
Sachets with white substance cocaine and cannabis, as well as a considerable amount of gold and cash, kept inside two safes, were also found.
One of them, who had a drug habit, later told police how he regularly visited the place to buy drugs from the couple.
Another man explained that he had accepted a job as runner, trafficking drugs that were supplied to him by the couple. In exchange for his services, he was given free food and lodging as well as a free supply of drugs for his own consumption.
He lived in the lower quarters of the residence, sorting out drug sachets in the kitchenette where customers would visit to buy drugs.
He then handed over money to Bakoush and Naswan.
Another person, Joseph Borg, who allegedly supplied drugs to the couple, was arrested later when the police raids continued at some stables in Marsa.
He is facing separate charges from the couple. (see below)
The sole bedroom where the boy was found was the same room where drugs were found, along with two safes, one hanging near the wardrobe and another inside the wardrobe.
Gold jewellery
Bakoush, wearing gold jewellery at the time of her arrest, provided the code to the safes.
Inside the wardrobe, police found branded items which raised suspicion, given that both Bakoush and Naswan were out on bail at the time of their arrests.
When the testimonies were over, defence lawyer Franco Debono informed the court that a bail application was to remain pending until civilian witnesses were heard, possibly at the next sitting.
At one time during the sitting Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras cautioned Bakoush, who appeared to be constantly laughing.
"What’s so amusing?" the magistrate asked. "You’ve been laughing since you came in. Your lawyer has already warned you and you’ve ignored him too. You’re like King Carnival smiling,” the magistrate said.
By the time the hearing came to an end, Bakoush broke into tears, sobbing as she walked out of the courtroom.
The case continues in September.
Inspectors Kevin Pulis, Mark Anthony Mercieca and Mark Cremona prosecuted.
Lawyers Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri and Francesca Zarb were defence counsel.
Borg admitted to police he sold drugs to the Valletta couple
The court on Wednesday also heard testimony against Joseph Borg, the alleged supplier to the drug trafficking couple.
Borg was arrested when police searches continued at Marsa.
Inspector Kevin Pulis testified about the operation and how information appeared to show that he was the drug supplier. The police also obtained an arrest warrant against the suspected runner, Joseph Debono, who was living at the couple’s property.
Both Debono and Borg were found in a police raid on stables in Marsa.
Borg told police that he went there to care for his mare, but police subsequently found drugs and drug trafficking paraphernalia at the stables.
There was a bedroom-cum-office at the stable where police found a notebook with details of payments due, a sealable bag, cash in coins amounting to €275, a flick knife, sachets containing synthetic drug and a grinder.
Borg said all those items belonged to him. When releasing his statement at police headquarters, the man admitted that the drugs found in his possession were intended for trafficking.
He claimed he had recently come across hard times and had thus resorted to drug trafficking, while he still had other separate cases pending in court.
Borg said that he had been selling drugs to Bakoush and Naswan.
Either of the couple would call him to place their order and Borg would either deliver at their Valletta property or else drugs would be collected from Marsa.
Cocaine was sold at €50 per gram and Borg was paid upon consignment.
He also sold them heroin and cannabis, Pulis went on.
Asked by the defence, the inspector confirmed that he had cooperated with investigators.
A bail request is still pending. Lawyers Charles Mercieca and Ana Thomas were defence counsel.
The case continues in September.