Police informer helped bust ecstasy ring in 2008, former officer testifies

An ecstasy trafficking ring was exposed by an informer who gave police a tip-off about the operation, a former top cop told jurors on Friday.

Former Assistant Police Commissioner Neil Harrison said the information had led to the arrest of three men currently standing trial for drug trafficking.

Rio Micallef from Marsa, David Tabone from Naxxar, and Darren James Vella from Birkirkara are all pleading not guilty to multiple counts of drug trafficking.

Testifying in a courtroom presided by Madam Justice Edwina Grima, Harrison said that, at the time, he was a police superintendent who headed the drug squad.

In mid August 2008, the informer had passed on information that a certain David Tabone, known as Iż-Żambi, had about 2,000 ecstasy pills which he divided into smaller packets and sold to street-level pushers.

The informer passed on the mobile number and car details of Tabone but said that, at that moment in time, he did not have drugs. Harrison asked the informer to let him know when Tabone had drugs in hand.

In September that year, the informer passed on the information and this time also mentioned that Rio Micallef would be with Tabone.

Harrison coordinated the drug operation from the office and was eventually told that his team had arrested the three men.

Over the past few days jurors heard details of that September 15,  2008 arrest operation.

Tabone had left his home and drove towards McDonald’s in Birkirkara, where he was joined by Vella. The pair then met Micallef, who ran a snack bar near Fleur-de-Lys.

Micallef left his shop, got into his car and drove in the direction of Old Church Street, followed closely by the other two men.

They parked their cars at a distance from each other and two of the suspects approached a garage, with Tabone allegedly carrying a black bag.

When Micallef sensed the presence of the police, he crouched and allegedly threw a white bag under a parked van before fleeing.

He was arrested together with Vella and Tabone.

Inside the bag, the police found 1,940 ecstasy pills with an estimated street value of €18,624. The police also seized €9,330 in cash inside the black bag and a set of electronic weighing scales bearing drug traces.

On Friday, jurors also heard exhibits’ officer Jessica Tanti testify how one of the court exhibits – the white bag – could not be traced. Records showed that the bag had been exhibited in 2008 and had never been signed out of the exhibits; strongroom located in the court building.

Tanti, who took on the role in January last year, said that they had looked for the exhibit amongst the exhibits dated pre and post-2008 to no avail.

She was the last witness for the prosecution.

The trial will continue on Friday afternoon, when the defence starts to make its case. The three accused have declared they will not be testifying.

Lawyers Kevin Valletta, Godwin Cini and Danica Vella are prosecuting on behalf of the Attorney General’s Office.

Lawyers Arthur Azzopardi and Jacob Magri are appearing on behalf of David Tabone.

Lawyers José Herrera and Alex Scerri Herrera are assisting Rio Micallef.

Lawyers Michael Sciriha and Matthew Xuereb are assisting Darren James Vella.