A couple has been charged with cocaine possession and trafficking after police uncovered drugs during a raid at a garage in Fgura.

Christopher Vella and Michelle Giorgina Attard, both in their early 50s, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

A court, presided over by Magistrate Claire Micallef Stafrace, heard from Inspector Mark Mercieca that the police were informed about a garage in Triq Bormla, Fgura, that was selling drugs.

The police staked out the garage and confirmed that people were selling drugs at the location.

Following the surveillance operation, the police stopped a van entering the garage on Wednesday. Both accused were inside the van.

While searching the vehicle, police found ten grams of cocaine and around three sachets of crack cocaine.

Inside the garage, police also found a lot of drug paraphernalia.

The inspector said that Vella and Attard both admitted to selling drugs to maintain their drug habit when they were first interrogated.

The inspector added that Vella said he used to buy small amounts of cocaine and convert it into crack cocaine, which Attard would sell.

The accused also told the police that code words such as “ħobż” (bread), “fniek” (rabbits), and “qed isajjar” (he’s cooking), which were found on their phones, were code words for drugs the inspector said. 

The defence argued that the pair should be granted bail as the amount of drugs was minimal, and both accused cooperated with the police. They also pushed for the pair to stay with Vella’s mother, who is blind, and receive help for their addiction.

The prosecution contested this bail request as other people who might testify have been arrested.

The magistrate chose not to grant them bail.

Alongside Mercieca, AG lawyer Julian Scicluna prosecuted.

Defence lawyers Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri, and Adriana Zammit represented the accused.