A man has forfeited the freedom he had been granted under six previous bail decrees after he was arrested on Wednesday and found in possession of drugs and some €26,000 in cash. 

Terence Cini, a 37-year-old Qormi resident, landed back under police surveillance following confidential information about his suspected involvement in a drug transaction that was planned for Wednesday morning. 

So officers from the Drug Squad kept close watch at Cini’s residence and followed the suspect and his brother as they drove from Qormi to Mellieħa where the suspected transaction appears to have taken place. 

The duo were blocked on their way back at the St Paul’s Bay bypass and a search of Cini’s vehicle yielded some €26,000 in cash.

A white substance, suspected of being cocaine, was also found at the Qormi residence. 

Cini was charged with aggravated possession of cocaine under circumstances indicating that the drug was not exclusively for his personal use, transfer of property derived through criminal activity, breach of six bail decrees as well as relapsing.

He was also charged with money laundering. 

He pleaded not guilty.

When objecting to bail, prosecuting Inspector Mark Anthony Mercieca said that the 190 grams of white substance, suspected of being cocaine, was still to be analysed by the chemical expert. 

Moreover, Cini had allegedly breached six sets of bail conditions, handed down within a relatively short timeframe except for one that dated back to 2011.

All that, together with the nature of the charges, the unexplained amount of cash, the accused’s lack of trustworthiness and the fact that the money laundering investigation was still ongoing, were grounds for objection.

Meanwhile, Cini’s brother had been granted police bail.

Cini’s lawyer, Alfred Abela, countered that the accused’s brother could opt not to testify in view of his family ties.

Moreover, this case did not involve “kilos of drugs” but just 190 grams of a substance that was still to be analysed. 

As for the fear of tampering with evidence, the witnesses were mainly police and court experts.

Nor was there fear of absconding since Cini had family ties in Malta and the alleged breach of bail was still to be proved, argued the lawyer.

However, after hearing submissions, the court, presided over by magistrate Noel Bartolo, turned down the request, deeming the accused not sufficiently trustworthy and also because of the fear of tampering.

The court also upheld the prosecution’s request for a freezing order upon all assets of the accused.