Three men were remanded in custody on Wednesday after they denied their involvement in a drug importation ring that was smashed by the police late on Monday. 

They were three of four arrested after drug squad police found a fridge and a chest freezer stuffed with some 21 kilograms of cannabis being carried on a van in Floriana. The fourth is still being investigated by the police, the court heard.

The street value of the drug was estimated at €420,000.

Senglea resident Anthony Delia, 47, and Rosario Posata, 32, a Sicilian pastry chef originally from Syracuse but residing in St Paul’s Bay, appeared separately before magistrate Rachel Montebello charged with conspiracy to import cannabis into Malta, the importation the drug, being in possession of the drug in circumstances denoting it was not for their personal use as well as the possession of cocaine.

They pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them. No request for bail was made and they were remanded in custody. 

Police inspectors Mark Anthony Mercieca and Marshal Mallia told the court that the police's drug squad had originally been following Posata’s tracks after it received information he may have been involved in drug trafficking. The operation led to the discovery of a fridge and freezer which were packed with cannabis. 

Cannabis was found packed into this fridge-freezer. Photo: Malta Police

Posata had been seen frequenting a garage complex in Mosta so a police squad was stationed there to look out for any suspicious movements. At one point, two other Italian men were seen exiting the complex. They tried to flee when they saw that the police were on them. 

One of the two men was Giuseppe Schepis, 29, who is the lessee of the Mosta garage where the police found several other white goods. The inspectors said the fridges and freezers had a strong smell of cannabis but no drugs were found inside them. The inspectors said the police found tyres which were suspected to have been used to import drugs into Malta. 

Schepis was charged with cannabis trafficking and possession of the drug in circumstances denoting it was not for his personal use. 

He too pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him and was remanded in custody after no request for bail was made. 

Lawyers Michael Sciriha, Andy Ellul, Matthew Xuereb, Mario Mifsud, Alex Scerri Herrera and Christian Camilleri were defence counsel to the three men.