Three to be indicted on drug trafficking

Police seized about half a kilogramme of cannabis resin in a raid in a Birkirkara garage earlier this month, a court heard yesterday.

Police Inspector Neil Harrison explained how police were informed that Reno Buhagiar was making use of drugs in his garage.

His men swooped down on the place, seized two bars of cannabis resin and arrested Buhagiar, Elton Brincat and Silvio Camilleri.

Inspector Harrison testified before Magistrate Tonio Micallef Trigona in the compilation of evidence against Buhagiar, 32, of Birkirkara, Brincat, 24, of Hamrun and Camilleri, 19, of Gzira.

Buhagiar is pleading not guilty to the possession and trafficking of cannabis resin while Brincat and Camilleri are pleading not guilty to the possession of the drug on May 16 in circumstances denoting it was not for their personal use.

Inspector Harrison, prosecuting, said that when police got to the garage Buhagiar tried to prevent them from getting in.

But the police managed to go into the garage where they saw Camilleri throw away a bar of cannabis resin. Brincat was also in the garage.

Police searched the garage and found another bar of cannabis resin on a table, a knife with what seemed to be traces of cannabis and a burner.

Some time later police saw a car stop near the garage and one of the men called for Buhagiar. The car was searched and a piece of cannabis resin was seized. David Mifsud and Joseph Enriquez, who were in the car, were arrested.

Inspector Harrison went on to explain that the three men released statements in which they admitted pooling money to buy about half a kilogramme of cannabis resin.

Brincat and Camilleri said they intended to keep their share of the drugs for their personal use.

At the end of yesterday's court Magistrate Micallef Trigona ruled that there were enough reasons for the three men's indictment.

The case continues.