A driver who was found in possession of some 40 drug sachets and over €800 in cash when flagged down during a roadblock on Saturday night, was granted bail upon arraignment.

Abdallah Al Badr, a 27-year old Syrian resident at Luqa, was driving a Toyota when he was stopped at the roadblock in Attard.

It turned out that his driving licence had expired and he had no insurance cover.

Further searches inside the vehicle yielded a bag containing between 40 and 50 sachets filled with brown and white powder, weighing in total 35.7 grams.

The man was also found in possession of €850 in cash and two mobile phones.

He was arrested and subsequently charged with possession of cocaine and heroin in circumstances denoting that the drugs were not solely for personal use as well as driving without a licence and insurance cover.

He pleaded not guilty and requested bail.

Defence lawyer Franco Debono argued that the accused had been living in Malta for seven years and had family ties on the island.

No civilians were involved in this incident and therefore none were expected to testify.

Moreover, recent legislative amendments laid emphasis on treatment rather than punishment as far as drug users were concerned, went on the lawyer, arguing that this was a “borderline case.”

The charge that the drugs were not for personal use was still to be proved, said Debono.

Prosecuting Inspector Ritienne Gauci rebutted that the drugs found in the accused’s possession had been portioned out in sachets.

The €850 in cash and the two mobile phones were also to be noted.

A magisterial inquiry had been conducted and therefore evidence had been gathered and preserved accordingly.

Magistrate Victor George Axiak, upheld the request, granting bail against a deposit of €500, a personal guarantee of €5000, signing the bail book twice a week and under a curfew between 10:00pm and 6:00am.

Inspector Ritienne Gauci prosecuted.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Francesca Zarb were defence counsel.