Man gets 24 years in jail, €35k fine over drug trafficking, cannabis posession
Austin Mallia was found guilty by a jury 7 - 2
A 40-year-old man who was found guilty of association of drug trafficking and of aggravated possession of cannabis has been jailed for 24 years and fined €35,000.
Austin Mallia was indicted for associating himself with cannabis trafficking and aggravated possession of the drug.
He admitted charges of cocaine possession but is denying the other charges.
Mallia had been caught transporting drugs in boxes in his father's truck. He told investigators he sometimes did removal jobs for a Sicilian man, Michele Artale.
Mallia told a trial-by-jury that if he had known what was inside the boxes, he would have taped them to the roof of another man’s car, insisting he believed he was transporting appliances.
The jury returned the verdict of 7 - 2 on both counts on February 16, bringing a two-week trial by jury to an end.
On Thursday, Madam Justice Consuelo Scerri Herrera handed Mallia a 24-year prison sentence.
She also fined him €35,000 and ordered him to pay an additional €11,952 in court expenses.
AG lawyers Godwin Cini and Danika Vella prosecuted.
Lawyers Joe Giglio and Mattea Giglio assisted the accused.