An Egyptian man who has lived here for the past 17 years was yesterday charged with conspiracy to import 50 kilogrammes of cannabis from Tunisia in a case allegedly involving a Maltese man being held in that country.

Ahmed El Fadali Enan, 40, was also accused of enticing other people to take part in the alleged crime and with possession of cocaine.

During submissions on bail, Police Inspector Dennis Theuma told the court that investigations indicated that the accused had contacts in various countries and had transferred money to Italy and Tunis. He was also involved with a Maltese man arrested in Tunis for allegedly planning to ship 50 kilogrammes of cannabis to Malta.

The officer said the accused had no family in Malta and had another court case that was not drug-related.

The threat of the evidence being tampered with was very real and something the prosecution was very worried about, the prosecuting officer said.

Defence counsel Marion Camilleri argued that had the accused wanted to leave the island he would have done so following his first court case. The gravity of the new case was no reason to refuse bail.

The Maltese man held in Tunisia has been named as Tano Farrugia, 32, a former football player. He was arrested by the Tunisian police last week after a search in his hotel room in Nabeul. He is being detained at Grombalia prison not far from that town.

Magistrate Audrey Demicoli remanded Mr Enan in custody.

Lawyer Charmaine Cherrett also appeared for the accused.