A man allegedly linked to several postal parcels containing some nine kilos of cannabis, was remanded in custody upon arraignment on Friday. 

Pedro Da Costa Masi, a 29-year-old self-employed Brazilian national from Mellieħa, was arrested on Thursday after police were informed about a man, identifying himself as “Paolo Gonzales,” who called for a parcel at Maltapost offices. 

Investigators from the drug squad had been following the case ever since a one-kilo package of cannabis grass was discovered at Maltapost head office in Qormi through a random check by customs officials earlier this month.

That package was addressed to a person at a Pieta’ residence, explained prosecuting Inspector Mark Anthony Mercieca when giving an overview of the events leading up to the accused’s arrest during Friday’s arraignment. 

Another parcel containing some two kilos of cannabis grass was subsequently tracked down at another courier company by customs officials who noted the suspicious parcel. 

That parcel was addressed to the same recipient at the same address as the previous package. 

But when investigators ran a search on the police system, the recipient did not feature at all. His name was not registered and he was linked to no work or residence permit. 

Moreover, the address on the parcel turned out to be fictitious. 

On Thursday, police were alerted to a customer who turned up at a postal office to claim the parcel, identifying himself as “Paolo Gonzales.” 

The suspect was arrested. 

A search at his Mellieħa home yielded half a kilo of cannabis grass, eight kilos of cannabis resin and some 80 grams of ecstasy. 

Police also found six cannabis plants, which is over the legal limit. 

The man, later identified as Da Costa Masi, was charged with involvement in a conspiracy to import, sell or deal in cannabis grass and cannabis resin, possession of both drugs and ecstasy under circumstances denoting that they were not intended for his personal use as well as unlawful cultivation of cannabis. 

He pleaded not guilty. 

The court presided over by magistrate Kevan Azzopardi, upheld the prosecution’s request for a freezing order over all assets of the accused. 

Bail was not requested at the arraignment stage. 

Inspectors Mark A Mercieca and John Leigh Howard prosecuted. Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri were defence counsel.