The police carried out a controlled delivery of a parcel containing cocaine and arrested the man to whom the drug was addressed, a court heard yesterday.

The parcel, containing 400 millilitres of cocaine in liquid form, had been intercepted in Germany on its way to Malta from South America.

The package was allowed to continue on its way to a house in Sta Venera where the police arrested Nigerian Uchena Obi, 26, of Cospicua when he allegedly took delivery of it.

Originally two people were arrested over the case but the second man was found to have nothing to do with the accused and was freed.

Mr Obi stands charged with conspiring to import the drug, importing and possessing it in circumstances which denote it was not for his exclusive use. His lawyer, Anthony Cutajar, argued that his client should be granted bail as there was no fear that he might leave the island since he lives here and has done so for some time.

Police Inspector Pierre Grech countered that there was the risk of the accused absconding because he was facing serious charges. Magistrate Edwina Grima remanded the accused in custody until the compilation of evidence when he would be able to request bail at a later stage.