A man, arrested at the airport after being found in possession of a cocaine packet strapped to his genitals, was remanded in custody upon arraignment on Wednesday. 

Melvin Nunes, a Dutch national from Suriname, had just landed from a flight from Brussels at 12.30am on Monday when he was stopped and searched by airport officials who discovered a small sachet of cannabis grass on his person.

The man claimed that the drug was for personal use. 

But after subjecting the passenger to a full body search, the police discovered more drugs.

Some 200 grams of cocaine, wrapped in tape, were strapped to the man’s private parts, leading to his arrest.

On Wednesday, the suspect was escorted to court where he pleaded not guilty to cocaine trafficking and possession of the drug under circumstances indicating that it was not intended solely for his personal use. 

Prosecuting Inspector Marshal Mallia said that during interrogation, the man had told the police that this was not his first time doing such a job. 

Since the accused was planning to settle down in Malta and find a job here, he currently had no fixed address on the islands and, therefore, his legal aid lawyer Cynthia Tomasuolo, did not request bail at this stage. 

The court, presided over by magistrate Elaine Mercieca, remanded the man in custody after upholding the prosecution’s request for a freezing order over all his assets.