Police intervention blocking two suspicious vehicles in Mellieħa led to the discovery of a veritable drug cache in a private residence, with police saying that the drugs were "everywhere", a court heard on Friday.

Jordan Gafa, the 21-year-old resident at the apartment, was charged following his arrest on Wednesday by Rapid Intervention Unit and Drug Squad officers upon suspicion that he might have been carrying weapons inside his car.

The driver of the second vehicle, who was “well known to the police,” appeared to have been following Gafa's vehicle. Investigators were still to determine any links between the two.

But when Gafa's car was searched, police found 100 grams of cannabis grass.

The search continued at his mother’s home in Mellieħa where some 200 grams of cannabis grass and several sets of weighing scales were discovered. Gafa claimed that those items were for his personal use.

However, when the search moved to another apartment linked to Gafa, police came across a cache of drugs and cash.

Police who forced their way into the apartment were met by Gafa's two American Bully dogs.

Stepping inside, “there were drugs everywhere you look,” explained prosecuting Inspector Mark Anthony Mercieca.

He said there were glass bottles and bags of cannabis grass on the kitchen counter and the table. More drugs were stacked inside the freezer and also in the bedroom.

Some three kilos of cannabis were found at the flat.

There were also ecstasy pills inside the fridge and a significant amount of cash, totalling around €50,000.

Gafa was charged with possession of cannabis grass, cannabis resin and ecstasy under circumstances denoting that the drugs were not solely for his personal use.

He was also charged with money laundering.

He pleaded not guilty.

Lawyers call for 'halfway house' for such situations

His lawyers, Franco Debono and Adreana Zammit, requested bail.

But the prosecution objected, arguing that Gafa was unemployed, had “an acute drug problem” and could commit further criminal wrongdoing if released for arrest.

The defence rebutted that the defendant could reside at his mother’s place. However, inspector Mercieca promptly pointed out that drugs had been found there too.

Faced with such a young defendant with no suitable alternative residence for bail purposes, Debono highlighted the need for a “halfway house” to adequately address such situations.

Such a solution, between jail and rehabilitation centres, would provide a controlled environment where defendants like Gafa’ could receive treatment for their addiction.

Rather than remand such youths to prison, it would make more sense to help them get their life back on the right path, argued Debono.

After hearing submissions the court, presided over by magistrate Marse Ann Farrugia, turned down the request since investigations were still ongoing.

Moreover, the defendant’s acute drug problem gave rise to the risk of future offences.

However, the court placed the defendant under a supervision order so that he could be monitored by a probation officer while at the Corradino Correctional Facility.

The court also upheld the request for a freezing order over all the assets of the defendant.

Inspectors Mark A Mercieca and Warren Galea were prosecuted. Lawyers Franco Debono and Adreana Zammit were defence counsel.