An Opposition MP has questioned the lack of court arraignments despite a record cocaine haul last year.

PN MP Beppe Fenech Adami questioned in parliament why more people have not been charged, after a total of 3,000 kilos of cocaine, with an estimated street value of €386 million, was seized by the police in 2022.

Fenech Adami noted how on one occasion alone, 1.4 tonnes of cocaine had been seized, yet to his knowledge, no arraignments ensued.

The massive haul was discovered by customs last May. The cocaine was found in a container that was transporting bananas from Colombia to Slovenia.

Labour MP Rebecca Buttigieg argued that the record hauls show that the authorities are doing their jobs.

Buttigieg said that while she is not privy to ongoing investigations, such investigations tend to take their time.

“My mind is at rest that law enforcement is doing its job,” Buttigieg said.

Are crimes rates down due to cannabis reform?

Buttigieg said recent statistics show that crime rates are down.

She would not be drawn into answering questions by PN MP Joe Giglio, on whether the reduction in crime rates was due to factors like the decriminalisation of simple cannabis possession.

In a Times of Malta interview, police superintendent Keith Arnaud said the cocaine haul in 2022 was three times higher than the previous year.

In their efforts to crack down on the chain of organised crime groups that work together to import, package and sell the drug, the police charged 54 people with trafficking cocaine last year, Arnaud said.

“We are seeing an increase in cocaine use, as the statistics show,” police superintendent Keith Arnaud, who heads the drug squad, told Times of Malta.

Cocaine is the second most consumed illicit drug in the EU after cannabis and Malta is no exception.

“In the past, there were years when ecstasy was more popular in clubs but, today, its use has dropped drastically whereas that of cocaine is increasing,” Arnaud said.