A suspected drug courier was remanded in custody on Sunday after pleading not guilty to the importation of some 7kg of suspected cocaine and 100 grams of cannabis hidden inside his van as he crossed over from Sicily to Malta.

Before Magistrate Rachel Montebello, Ryan Cutajar, 37, from Fgura, pleaded not guilty to importing the drugs on and before July 28.

Police inspector Alfredo Mangion explained that the man was stopped as he disembarked from the catamaran in Malta on Friday night.

Police searched the Ford Transit van he was driving and found the drugs stashed in the axle of one of the van’s rear wheels. Authorities have placed an estimated street value of more than €400,000 on the drug haul.

The inspector said the police investigation began following a tipoff that Cutajar may be involved in drug trafficking between Malta and Sicily. On July 21, the police obtained an arrest warrant on the basis of the information they had received.

Police investigations revealed that he was leaving Malta, cutting off all contact even by turning off his mobile phone.

Therefore, upon his return to Malta by catamaran on Friday night, the police pounced and searched his vehicle.

During the search, the police found that there was a welded channel behind the rear wheel so they cut it open and found a stash of drugs. They found a bag containing 16 smaller bags of suspected cocaine amounting to some 7.5 kilograms as well as some cannabis resin.

Defence lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri requested release from arrest. However, the prosecution objected due to the gravity of the crime even though there are no witnesses.

Debono explained that once there were no civilian witnesses, there was no fear that any evidence could be tampered.

The accused has all ties to Malta, with his mother also present in court. He insisted that the court must grant bail and balance any fear it may have through the conditions that will be imposed. Moreover, the prosecution must bring evidence in support of the fears it says it has.

But Magistrate Montebello denied the request since the court was not convinced there were no fears of tampering with evidence as the defence was suggesting. He was, therefore, remanded in custody.