Three charged with trafficking in custody, one under house arrest

Three of four people charged with drug trafficking have been remanded in custody, while, the fourth, a 17-year-old, has been taken under the wing of Fr Colin Apap and is being kept under house arrest at the priest’s house.

The four, Henry Grogan, 25, Luke Muscat, 20, Alan Muscat, 23 and the 17-year-old were charged with conspiring to traffic in five kilogrammes of cannabis, trafficking, and possession in circumstances which denoted that the drug was not for their personal use.

The 17-year-old was also charged with the simple possession of cannabis, Mr Grogan with the simple possession of heroin and cannabis and Mr Luke Muscat with relapsing.

Mr Grogan pleaded guilty, the other three not guilty.

Fr Apap appeared in Court on behalf of the 17-year-old saying he knew the accused and his family. He lived in Qajjenza with his mother and brother, who was a policeman.

Fr Apap said that if granted bail, the accused could live with him.

Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera placed the boy under house arrest at Fr Apap’s house against a personal guarantee of €10,000.

The magistrate warned the priest that if the boy stepped out of line he would have to pay €10,000.