Three men allegedly involved in a drug importation ring that was smashed by the police earlier this month, were back in court for a marathon sitting which shed light on the events leading up to their arrest. 

Anthony Delia, a 47-year old Senglea resident, Rosario Posata, a 32-year old Sicilian pastry chef living in St Paul’s Bay and Giuseppe Schepis, a 29-year old Sicilian also residing in St Paul’s Bay are facing separate proceedings over their involvement in the alleged drug conspiracy. 

The trio was arrested after members of the police drug squad swooped down on a van inside which they discovered some 20 packets of cannabis stuffed inside a fridge and a chest freezer that were being transported onboard the vehicle. 

Prosecuting inspector Mark Anthony Mercieca testified that police had been monitoring the van’s movements since late January. 

Surveillance officers reported that the Peugeot, driven by Posata, was observed in the vicinity of a garage in the St Paul’s Bay and Qawra area, making frequent trips to other localities, such as Bulebel and Tarxien. 

Other police witnesses recalled how on the day of the arrests, they had trailed the van from Bulebel to Floriana. 

That was where the officers had moved in and searched the van. Inside they found the cooling appliances stuffed with some 21 kilograms of cannabis grass, having an estimated street value of €420,000.

More drugs were subsequently found at the residence of Schepis, some stuffed inside an oven. 

Police had also come across other fridges and freezers inside premises where the van had been garaged. 

Chemical expert Godwin Sammut confirmed that the drug seized by police was cannabis grass weighing between 21 and 23 kilograms. 

In his testimony, inspector Mercieca explained that Delia had allegedly told police, under questioning, how he had been tasked with transporting the drug locally after it was imported from Sicily. 

He would be paid around €500 for each trip and had driven the van on some five of such trips, the man allegedly told the police.

After each trip, another of the accused would drop him off at a bus stop so as to catch the next bus home. 

The director of the car hire company, which had leased the van to an Italian client for four days starting on January 28, testified how the man had later called him, claiming that the van had been stolen and asking him to file a report. 

Having heard the witnesses, the court, presided over by magistrate Neville Camilleri, declared that there was enough evidence for the accused to be placed under a bill of indictment. 

Delia’s lawyers requested bail, stressing that the accused had cooperated with investigators, had strong family ties in Malta as well as a stable job. 

Moreover, there was only one other civilian witness to testify, argued lawyer Franco Debono, remarking about the court’s efficient handling of the case. 

Having heard submissions by both parties, the court turned down the request, declaring itself as not sufficiently convinced that the accused would abide by bail conditions. 

Bail was denied to all three.

Proceedings continue. 

Lawyers Franco Debono, Michael Sciriha, Andy Ellul, Mario Mifsud, Matthew Xuereb and Alex Scerri Herrera are defence counsel. 

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