Man found in possession of pink cocaine says he earns money from gambling
Officers were investigating organised crime
A 25-year-old man has been remanded in custody following an anti-drug operation which uncovered quantities of suspected pink cocaine.
Gianmarco Ternullo was arrested on Tuesday evening after officers from the Drug Squad observed him interacting with another man in the Msida Marina area.
Shortly after the exchange, police stopped the suspect while he was driving a Skoda vehicle and arrested him.
A search of the vehicle yielded a package containing a pink substance, suspected to be pink cocaine. The investigation then moved to the suspect’s residence in Swieqi, where officers found more suspected pink cocaine, cannabis grass, a liquidiser and weighing scales, allegedly used for mixing and preparing narcotics for trafficking.
Following the operation, two individuals were detained at the St Julian’s police station.
Ternullo appeared before Magistrate Jean Paul Grech, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The defence submitted a request for bail, arguing that the accused must be presumed innocent and highlighting that he has no prior criminal record.
However, the prosecution objected to his release. The prosecution informed the court that the other person will testify in the proceedings against Ternullo, creating a severe risk of tampering with evidence.
Furthermore, the prosecution raised concerns over the suspect's lifestyle, noting that he has no registered employment in Malta and fails to provide peace of mind that he would not commit further offences if released.
In his statement to the inspector, the accused said that he earns his income from playing poker and gambling winnings at casinos.
Magistrate Grech denied bail, citing the early stage of the criminal proceedings, the seriousness of the charges and the accused's lack of strong ties to Malta.
The court also issued a freezing order on all assets belonging to the accused.
Inspector Alfredo Mangion, assisted by Attorney General's Office lawyer Julian Scicluna, prosecuted, while lawyer Roberto Spiteri appeared for the accused.