An alleged drug kingpin described as “Malta's El Chapo” was detained under preventive arrest on Saturday after pleading not guilty to possessing some 130 grams of cocaine. 

32-year-old Jordan Azzopardi, who lives in Madliena, was arrested by the Drug Squad on Friday following a car chase through the town’s winding streets. 

His BMW X3 was damaged during the chase - the second police car chase in three days following an unrelated hit-and-run incident on Wednesday.

Azzopardi is currently being prosecuted for a litany of charges related to running a large-scale drug trafficking operation, money laundering and counterfeit cash from a Wardija villa. He was granted bail in that case last August. 

In December, he was sentenced to seven months in prison for a 2015 assault that left a man grievously injured. 

Azzopardi was back in court on Saturday, appearing before magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech following his latest brush with the law.

Police inspector Alfredo Mangion explained that the police had information that Azzopardi was trafficking drugs. They were following his movements and then surrounded him on Friday afternoon. 

Mangion said that as soon as Azzopardi realised that the police were following him, he started speeding and driving dangerously in a bid to escape, hitting some other cars in the process.

Officers spotted Azzopardi discarding a package from his car window while he was being chased. The package was found to contain 130 grams of a white substance believed to be cocaine.

Azzopardi was arrested when the police managed to surround his car. 

He faces a total of 13 charges which include drug possession in circumstances denoting it was not for his personal use, damaging two cars during the chase, disobeying police orders, driving his BMW dangerously, recklessly and without a valid road licence, breaching bail conditions and relapsing.

He pleaded not guilty and no request for bail was made. He was remanded in custody. 

Lawyers Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri, Charles Mercieca and Roberto Montalto appeared for Azzopardi.  

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