Drug Squad police followed closely the delivery of a sports bag containing five kilos of cannabis to a garage in Mosta, a court heard on Friday. 

Magistrate Victor Axiaq heard how the police were monitoring the garage following a tip-off of a possible drug deal on June 11.

As they kept a close eye outside the garage, they saw Terrence Cini arriving in his car. They saw him getting out of this car and opening the boot from where he pulled out a blue sports bag which was later found to contain five kilos of cannabis grass. 

Another man, Jeffrey Cassar, 36, of Mosta, the owner of the garage in question, was in June charged with drug possession and money laundering. 

The police arrested Cini a week later when they stopped him as he was driving his car to another alleged drug deal. Inside the car, the police found 34 sachets of heroin and cocaine which were ready to be sold. 

The court heard how Cini was granted police bail until results of forensic examination arrived. 

When he appeared in court on Friday, Cini pleaded not guilty to drug possession and trafficking charges as well as with conspiring with other people to traffic drugs.

No request for bail was made and he was remanded in custody. 

Earlier in August, Cini was in court with his girlfriend, who was charged with money laundering after the police discovered €1 million in her bank account. 

Police Inspector Anthony Scerri prosecuted while lawyers Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia were defence counsel.