A driver was on Sunday charged with drug trafficking after customs officials and a sniffer dog found cannabis grass in his car just as he got off the Sicily ferry.

Nemanja Bozin, a 36-year-old Serbian national living at Wardija, had just got off the catamaran from Pozzallo on Friday when sniffer dogs first roused suspicion.

A search of the vehicle yielded cannabis grass in the front part of the car and also in a container.

The driver was arrested and was on Sunday charged with the alleged involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy, importation of cannabis grass as well as possessing the drug under circumstances denoting that it was not intended solely for personal use. 

The accused - a maintenance worker on board vessels - pleaded not guilty. 

His defence lawyer did not request bail at the arraignment stage and the court, presided over by magistrate Marse-Ann Farrugia remanded the accused in custody.

Inspectors Mark Anthony Mercieca and John Leigh Howard prosecuted. 

Lawyer Roberta Bonello was the defence counsel. 

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