A suspicious package flagged by Customs officials turned out to contain four kilograms of cannabis and led police to arrest three people in connection with drug trafficking, a court has heard. 

Police officers arrested the first of those three, 25-year-old Nigerian Daniel Otega, when they carried out a controlled delivery of the package to a Santa Venera address. 

Otega cooperated with investigators who set up another controlled delivery which, in turn, led them to arrest Yusif Saeed, 34, from Niger and living at Mosta, and Somali national Saabir Ahmed Said, 31, living at a Tigne hotel. 

Otega faces charges of importing cannabis grass and possession of the drug in circumstances indicating that it was not intended solely for his personal use. He is pleading not guilty. 

Prosecutors objected to his request for bail, arguing that he had no family ties in Malta and investigations into others who lived at his address were still ongoing. 

Defence lawyer Daniel Attard countered that the accused had been living in Malta for four years, had a regular job and paid his taxes too.

After hearing submissions the court, presided over by magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo, turned down the request in view of the fact that investigations were still ongoing and the case was at a very early stage. 

Moreover, civilian witnesses were still to testify and the accused had no fixed ties in Malta.

Saeed and Said also pleaded not when they were arraigned separately. 

Saeed was charged with importation and possession of cannabis grass which was not deemed to be for personal use. 

Said was charged with involvement in a criminal conspiracy to import, sell or deal in cannabis grass as well as the importation of the drug. 

Neither of these two accused requested bail. 

Lawyers Sue Mercieca and Mark Mifsud Cutajar were legal aid counsel to the Saeed and Said respectively. Inspectors Justine Grech and John Leigh Howard prosecuted.