Two men have denied importing cannabis after 14 boxes of the drug was found in a car in Swieqi. 

Giuseppe Vecchia, 36, on holiday in Malta and Domenico Galante, 46, a restaurateur living at St Paul’s Bay, both from Agrigento, Sicily, were remanded in custody after appearing in court on Thursday.

The duo were arrested late on Tuesday evening after days of surveillance by the Drug Squad led to the interception of a vehicle in Swieqi. 

Police found 14 cardboard boxes containing some 40kg of cannabis in the car. 

The two men pleaded not guilty to importing cannabis resin, assisting a third party in the importation of cannabis grass and possessing the drug under circumstances indicating that it was not for their personal use. 

Earlier reports of the arrests had also mentioned a third suspect, a Maltese man. 

The court, presided over by magistrate Charmaine Galea, upheld a request by the prosecution to freeze all their assets except for an annual allowance of €13,976.24.

Defence lawyer Giannella DeMarco, assisting Mr Galante, informed the court that some €1,800 in cash, found at the accused’s residence, had been put aside by the man’s wife to pay their landlord.

Prosecuting Inspector Kevin Pulis assured the Court and the other parties that the money, together with other items seized by the police, would be presented in court at the first hearing.

No request for bail was made at the arraignment stage. 

Lawyer Gianluca Caruana Curran was counsel to Mr Vecchia.