Police officers who stopped a car at a Marsa roadblock because it had a cardboard number plate found cocaine, heroin and cannabis inside the vehicle, a court heard on Monday.

There were four people inside the car, including a 14-year-old girl.

The details were given by Police Inspector Mark Cremona when testifying in the compilation of evidence against 25-year-old Sheridan Lee Grech from Cospicua, 24-year-old Nicole Micallef from Msida and 20-year-old Matthias Borg from Luqa.

The 14 year-old was Borg's girlfriend. Her case is being heard in the Juvenile Court.

All four are pleading not guilty to the possession of 41 sachets of cocaine and heroin in circumstances which indicated they were not for personal use.

Grech is also accused of being in possession of another 52 sachets of cocaine and heroin which were found in his underwear. He was also charged with illegally carrying pepper spray, breaching bail and recidivism.

Borg alone is charged with possession of a knuckleduster and a stun gun, with Micallef also being charged with carrying a stun gun and recidivism.

Inspector Cremona said that on March 11 at about 3pm police mounted a roadblock Marsa. They noticed a car approach them and its front number plate was of cardboard. When they stopped the car, they smelt cannabis.

Grech was at the wheel. Sitting behind him there was the 14-year-old and, behind her, there were some 40 sachets containing what later turned out to be cocaine and heroin. Grech was carrying a black pouch with suspected cannabis and a grinder. He later handed over sachets containing more cocaine and heroin hidden inside his underwear. He had €235 in cash.

No illegal substances were found on Borg and Micallef. Borg was found in possession of a taser torch and a knuckleduster in a brown pouch. Micallef also had a taser torch.

Police searched Grech’s Cospiqua home and found six mobile phones in his bedroom. Nothing illegal was found in Borg’s Luqa home or in Micallef’s Msida home.

Lawyers Jacob Magri, Franco Debono and Edward Gatt represented the accused. 

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