A minibus driver, suspected of involvement in drug trafficking, took off down a Kirkop street, horn blaring loudly as he led police on a chase which ended at Zurrieq.

Etienne Farrugia, the 45-year old driver from Żebbuġ, was arrested on Thursday after officers from the Drug Squad received confidential information that the man was to be involved in some drug trafficking activity.

At around 5:15pm, police watched as the driver offloaded passengers outside a Kirkop factory and then headed on to Zurrieq.

But as soon as police tried to intercept him, the suspect took off, driving down a Kirkop street, blowing his horn as he fled, with police in tow.

When the cars reached Zurrieq, the minibus driver was seen flinging a packet out of the window on the passenger side.

Soon after, police blocked his path.

That packet, when subsequently retrieved, contained a white substance which turned out to be 200 grams of cocaine as well as a small sachet of heroin.

A search of the vehicle also yielded a bag of greenish substance which was confirmed as cannabis.

Farrugia was arrested and escorted to court on Friday, charged with cocaine possession in circumstances denoting that the drug was not solely for personal use, possession of heroin without proof that it was for his own personal use and cannabis possession.

He was also charged with allegedly breaching two previous bail decrees, risking forfeiture of a total bail bond of €35,000 as well as relapsing.

He pleaded not guilty.

When objecting to bail prosecuting Inspector Alfredo Mangion argued that the circumstances of the case militated against the granting of bail.

The purity of those 200 grams of cocaine was still to be determined and although the drug might not have been ready for trafficking, the negative impact that drug could have on society was not to be ignored.

Moreover, this drug was thrown out of a vehicle that this time round was transporting factory workers, but as of next week, it could well be used to ferry schoolchildren, pointed out the inspector.

And besides, this was the second incident in five months involving the accused whose criminal record gave a clear picture of his character.

When police closed in on the suspect yesterday, he fled.

“Why did he blow his horn all the way?”argued the prosecutor, adding that investigations were still ongoing.

Finally, although Farrugia claimed to live at Zebbug, he appears to have been staying at a Birzebbugia property where police found his possessions yesterday.

Yet, he never informed police about his change of address in terms of previous bail conditions.

The accused’s lawyer, Franco Debono, countered that certain statements by the prosecution were based on suppositions, indicating that objections to bail were weak.

The amount of cocaine, though not minimal, fell under the lower end of the spectrum.

As for the argument that investigations were still ongoing, in such circumstances the suspect could be granted police bail.

Moreover, the inspector made no reference to civilian witnesses.

As for the alleged breach of bail, the Constitutional Court declared that a person found guilty of breaching bail, could still be granted bail.

After hearing submissions the court, presided over by magistrate Ian Farrugia, turned down the request in view of the seriousness of the charges and the fact that the accused’s criminal record reflected his character which did not appear to be trustworthy and could hinder the proper administration of justice.

Lawyer Marion Camilleri was also defence counsel.