A man, allegedly found in possession of drugs during a raid at Marsa on Wednesday was remanded in custody when arraigned on his birthday on Thursday. 

John Junior Pace, who turned 28 on Thursday, pleaded not guilty to the unlawful procurement of a new synthetic drug and possession under circumstances denoting that the drug was not intended solely for his personal use. The crimes were further aggravated by the fact that the alleged offences occurred within 100 metres of a place frequented by youths. 

He was also charged with relapsing and breaching two previous bail decrees. 

He pleaded not guilty. 

His arrest followed a raid by police acting upon anonymous information about suspicious drug-related activity in the area of Sqaq il-Ġerrejja in Marsa. 

Police set up surveillance of the place and observed that a third party regularly visited. 

On Wednesday at around 2.30pm, the police zeroed in with a search and arrest warrant issued by a magistrate. 

Inside a particular stable, they found Pace, together with his girlfriend -a minor and heavily pregnant - as well as the other man who went there regularly. 

The police focused their search under a carpet opposite the stable and a box covering the water meter. 

Earlier on they had watched the other man taking "something" from those two spots. 

The search was positive. 

Police found bags of synthetic cannabis, small sachets used to sort out drugs, weighing scales and some €2,000 in cash. 

Both Pace and the other man were arrested. 

But only Pace was arraigned on Thursday, with the court being told that the other man was undergoing surgery. 

Investigations were continuing and other charges may be pressed eventually. 

The court, presided over by Magistrate Yana Micallef Stafrace, upheld a request by the prosecution ordering a ban on the name of the accused's girlfriend - who was present in court - since she was a minor. 

The name of the other man was also banned given the ongoing investigations. 

Pace, a plumber and electrician, requested bail. 

Prosecuting Inspector Elisia Scicluna objected, pointing out that Pace lived at the other man's address in Gżira. 

He had two previous bails, the latest one on October 25.

His lawyer, Nicholas Mifsud, argued that the accused lived with his grandparents and had a job. 

As for his other court cases, they concerned his girlfriend when the couple went through a rough patch. 

She had since forgiven him and said so before the other court.

However, after hearing submissions, the magistrate turned down the request for bail. 

Inspectors Mark Cremona, Elisia Scicluna and Sarah Kathleen Zerafa prosecuted. Lawyers Mario Mifsud and Nicholas Mifsud were defence counsel.