Inspectors who raided a garage rented out by suspected drug trafficker Jordan Azzopardi found stone slabs as barricades, tables full of drug paraphernalia and a counter that looked like a drug-selling station. 

Inspector Frank Anthony Tabone recalled how they found a second metal door , barricaded by stone slabs, behind the first. Inside the garage, officers found sofas and tables with various drug-related item.

There was a closed-off section behind a counter that was probably used as a point of sale, with cash at the counter. Behind this counter stood Axel Vella, one of the persons arrested in the raid.

The whole area was closely guarded by CCTV cameras.  

Officers had been watching the garage on Triq il-Vittmi tal-Gwerra in Birkirkara for a while before they raided it, and had noticed many people known to police coming and going.

When the police finally pounced, they had arrested 16 people in one fell swoop.

In an earlier sitting, the garage owner had told the court that he rented the space to Mr Azzopardi for €25 a day and had found it “completely destroyed” when he got it back.

Mr Azzopardi stands accused of large-scale drug trafficking, with authorities saying he was the kingpin behind a massive drug operation.

Testimony in the compilation of evidence against him and his girlfriend continued on Friday, and the two sat in the dock under the close watch of heavily-armed security guards as a court heard from witnesses.

Mr Azzopardi’s girlfriend stands accused of having sought to buy a witness’ silence for €20,000.   

A representative from telecoms company GO told the court they had found no registration data linked to a particular phone number the police had flagged. A Vodafone representative said that out of nine numbers checked, only one was registered in the name of a third party.

A Corradino Correctional Facility supervisor presented under oath a series of call logs recorded on the prison system, explaining that one number was linked to inmate Jordan Azzopardi.

Magistrate Doreen Clarke ordered a court expert to take voice samples of Mr Azzopardi, to compare his voice to those on recorded calls.

Inspector Nicholas Vella testified behind closed doors following a request made by the prosecution.

Mr Azzopardi’s bail request will be decided on at a later date, with more civilian witnesses expected to testify in upcoming sittings.

The compilation continues. Lawyer Anne Marie Cutajar from the AG’s Office prosecuted. Lawyers Franco Debono, Amadeus Cachia and Marion Camilleri were defence counsel.