A woman found inside a Marsa house targeted by the police in a complex drug operation on Tuesday, was granted bail upon her arraignment on Friday.

Pauline Ellul, 42, collapsed when officers entered the three-storey house on Triq is-Serkin, prompting them to call an ambulance for immediate medical assistance.

The woman apparently suffered from various health issues, explained prosecuting Inspector Justine Grech during Friday's arraignment. Four others linked to the same police operation were arraigned on Thursday.

Police zeroed in on the house and a stable at Triq it-Tigrija on the strength of confidential information about suspect drug trafficking activity at the premises.

The inspector said officers came across several drugs scattered across three floors. Cocaine sachets were found on a table and inside a bathroom on the first floor, drugs were traced in a cup on the staircase and some 148 packets had been dumped inside an inner shaft.

It was evident that drug trafficking was going on, said Inspector Grech.

Three suspect drug traffickers - a woman and two men - were also arrested inside the house and were released from preventive custody on Thursday after their arrests were deemed legally invalid upon arraignment. A fourth suspect was arraigned separately over charges of aggravated possession of drugs. 

On Friday, Ellul pleaded not guilty to involvement in drug trafficking conspiracy, aggravated possession of cocaine in circumstances indicating that the drug was not intended solely for personal use, as well as recidivism.

Her lawyer Franco Debono put forward a request for bail, appealing to presiding magistrate Ian Farrugia to consider primarily the accused’s medical condition.

While observing that the police had rightly given priority to the woman’s health, Debono noted further that she was still presumed innocent, had only minor past convictions and did not have an unruly character.

The prosecution explained that there was a magisterial inquiry into the case and that the sachets found each carried some 0.1 to 0.2 grams of cocaine.

In light of all submissions, the court upheld the request for bail against a deposit of €5,000, a personal guarantee of €5,000, signing of the bail book twice a week and a curfew between 8pm and 5.30am.

The court also warned the accused not to approach any of the witnesses.

Lawyers Marion Camilleri and Francesca Zarb are also defence counsel.