Two suspect drug-traffickers who were remanded in custody on Sunday were back in court on Monday for the first hearing in separate compilations of evidence.

They were arrested in a joint police operation over the weekend. 

Dean Martin, 40, and Melvin Debono, 29, had been targeted in a weeks-long surveillance operation that culminated in a massive haul of drugs, cars, gold and cash, worth almost €800,000, at Paola on Saturday. 

Debono had just regained his personal freedom on December 1, having landed under preventive custody in October in a separate arraignment wherein he had pleaded not guilty in a shooting incident in Senglea.

The man landed back under police suspicion over drug-related business involving Martin. 

Proceedings kicked off on Monday.

The court, presided by magistrate Neville Camilleri, heard how the suspect duo had allegedly originally intended to conduct their suspected drug business on Friday.

But heavy traffic in the southern parts of the island had prompted a change of plans.

On Saturday morning, Drug Squad officers together with members from the special and rapid intervention units set up watch outside Martin’s residence at Hamrun. 

They kept their target within sight as he drove to Marsa, making his way into a garage complex on Triq il-Qaddiefa and emerging carrying a cardboard box which he placed on the back seat of his car. 

The driver next headed to Paola, circling the block on Melita Street where Debono lived, doing so a number of times until he was joined by the other suspect. 

That was when the police zeroed in on the duo, who were subsequently arrested.

A search of the vehicle yielded some two kilos of cocaine, car keys and over €8,500 in cash. 

The search proceeded inside Debono’s residence where police discovered cocaine and cannabis, as well as gold, jewellery and some €83,000 in cash. 

A Range Rover sports model and a Mercedes E63, valued in total at around €250,000, were also discovered inside a Paola garage belonging to Debono.

Under police questioning, the man allegedly said that he was an unlicensed car dealer and did not declare his earnings for tax purposes. 

On the other hand, Martin denied ownership of the drugs, telling investigators that Debono would occasionally ask him to store the illicit substances inside the Marsa garage that belonged to Martin’s father. 

Inside that garage, the police discovered some 3.5 kilos of cocaine, while €5,000 in cash were also found inside Martin’s home, put aside to cover the cost of a surgical intervention he was planning to undertake in Belgrade.

Under interrogation, the man allegedly claimed that Debono would hand over €200 each time he requested a consignment. 

During his arraignment on Sunday, Martin pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking, aggravated possession of cocaine, money laundering and relapsing. 

Debono likewise pleaded not guilty, in a separate arraignment, to drug trafficking, conspiracy to deal in drugs and money laundering, as well as breaching three bail decrees, the last one handed down days ago. 

A fresh application for bail filed by Debono’s lawyers early on Monday morning will be dealt with following the next hearing, scheduled for January 5, once civilian witnesses testify.

Inspectors Mark Anthony Mercieca, Steven Ryan Micallef and Omar Caruana prosecuted. 

Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri were counsel to Debono,

Lawyers Joe Giglio and Roberta Bonello were counsel to Martin.