Prisoner agreed to invest in drug importation - police

A prisoner agreed to invest Lm10,000 in a drug importation conspiracy in a bid to recoup some money he was owed by another jailed conspirator, the Magistrates' Court heard yesterday.

"Mario Camilleri admitted he had agreed to pool money into the financing of the plot because he had lent Emanuel Camilleri money and hoped to regain it," Inspector Norbert Ciappara said.

"Mario Camilleri was questioned on August 10 and he said he had lent Emanuel Camilleri money to buy property. When he learnt Emanuel Camilleri was planning to bring in drugs from Italy, he decided to join forces with him so as to recoup his loan."

Inspector Ciappara testified before Magistrate Abigail Lofaro in the compilation of evidence against Mario Camilleri, 40, his mother Maria Stella, 63, and his son Pierre, 21, on a money laundering charge.

Maria Stella Camilleri is also charged with two counts of forgery while Pierre Camilleri is charged with one.

Inspector Ciappara yesterday said he had been asked to assist Inspector Neil Harrison in the investigation of a drug importation case. The people being investigated were Emanuel Camilleri, Charles Muscat, Joseph Sacco and Mario Camilleri.

He said he was given transcripts of telephone conversations intercepted by the Security Service and was asked to study them for criminal liability.

His study showed that the conversations took place between Mario Camilleri and his son Pierre or his wife Mona.

"The conversations revealed that Mario Camilleri, Emanuel Camilleri and Charles Muscat had pooled money for the importation of drugs.

"In a particular conversation held on January 4 Mario Camilleri was heard telling his son: 'We will buy four costing Lm28,000 each.' The sale of a garage was also mentioned," the inspector said.

Inspector Ciappara said Camilleri had explained, when questioned, that the Lm10,000 he had invested were meant to go towards the payment of the driver of the boat.

"He also said that the drugs had been seized in Italy but his money never left Malta," the inspector said.

BOV compliance manager John Scicluna was exonerated from confidentiality and explained how the bank branch at l-Ibragg had informed him that Maria Stella Camilleri had just made a suspicious transaction which exceeded Lm5,000. She had deposited Lm22,000 cash into a fixed account on her name.

The matter was looked into and the police alerted.

Scicluna said he then received an investigating order and was requested to produce a list of all the bank accounts and transactions relating to Maria Stella Camilleri.

Maria Stella Camilleri was yesterday granted bail against a Lm5,000 deposit and a personal guarantee of Lm15,000.

Mario and Pierre Camilleri were denied bail. Magistrate Lofaro also ruled there were grounds for the indictment of all three defendants.

The case continues.

Inspectors Paul Vassallo and Ian Abdilla are prosecuting with the assistance of counsel to the republic Dr Donatella Frendo Dimech.

Dr Raphael Fenech Adami is appearing for Stella Camilleri while Dr Franco Debono is counsel to Mario and Pierre Camilleri.