A man arrested in a drugs raid at a Marsa garage late on Friday night has been remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to charges on Sunday. 

Ryan Micallef, aged 30 and from Marsa, pleaded not guilty to possession of cocaine and heroin under circumstances indicating that the drugs were not intended solely for his personal use.

The crimes alleged were further aggravated by the fact that they were committed within 100 metres of a place frequently visited by youths. 

Micallef was also charged with breaching two bail decrees, as well as relapsing. 

The prosecution explained how anti-drugs squad police officers had been closely monitoring Micallef at his garage at Prince Albert Street, Marsa. 

They saw him get in touch with various people know to police for their links to drug trafficking, and also observed as items and money were exchanged through a small window inside his garage. 

Police finally swooped on Friday night. With the help of Rapid Intervention Unit officers, they cut open the metal garage doors and arrested Micallef, who was inside. 

A search of the garage yielded several bags containing sachets of suspected cocaine and heroin, as well as an amount of crack cocaine. 

Other drug paraphernalia, including a set of weighing scales, several knives and other objects were also found at the garage.

Micallef did not request bail when arraigned on Sunday, but his lawyers Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia asked the court to recommend that he be detained at the Forensic Unit at Mount Carmel Hospital. 

The court, presided over by magistrate Victor George Axiaq, upheld the request and remanded the accused in custody. 

Inspectors Mark Anthony Mercieca and Steven Ryan Micallef prosecuted.