Three men caught with a mix of drugs inside their car, when flagged down in a roadblock earlier this week, were denied bail after pleading not guilty to drug-related charges. 

The drugs were discovered during random police checks that were being carried out in Paola on Monday, explained prosecutors who arraigned Adam El-Haddoudi, 37, Jaeckel Tamas, 38 and Gabor Gyorgy Rusz, 35, all Hungarian nationals. 

When the car they were driving was flagged down and pulled aside, police spoke to Tamas who was the only English speaker among the trio. 

A search of the vehicle yielded a mix of drugs on the front side, and under the floorboard. 

All three men were placed under arrest and given their legal rights, said prosecuting Inspector Paul Camilleri. 

A magisterial inquiry kicked off and a scientific expert was appointed to certify the nature and amounts of the suspected illicit substances. 

Inside various bags and tubes, there were 4 grams of cocaine, 91 grams of cannabis grass, 90 grams of cannabis resin, 12 grams of psilocybin (magic mushrooms), 12 Viagra pills and 11 ecstasy pills. 

Some €2000 in cash was found in one of the men’s possession. The other two suspects had minimal sums of cash. 

Right up to their arraignment, police were unable to determine where any of the three accused lived.

Tamas’ health records listed two addresses, one in San Ġwann and another in Attard, but he no longer lived there and refused to disclose his address to the police. 

The other two men claimed that they were in Malta on holiday, but did not tell police where they were staying. 

Among the bags of substances, police had also discovered a tracking device. 

Additionally, while the drugs were being removed from the vehicle, an officer had allegedly noticed a car zooming past, going past the Mosque towards the roundabout and back, circling the area several times. 

The number plate of that other vehicle was not recorded. 

All three accused pleaded not guilty. 

Lawyer Jose’ Herrera, assisting El Haddoudi, questioned whether police had determined who the drugs belonged to.

“Can you tell whether the drugs were his or not? If you find drugs on a bus, do you arrest all the people on the bus?” the lawyer argued.

He also pointed out that his client had a fixed address in Malta and a pending job offer. 

Lawyer Franco Debono, assisting the other two co-accused, backed up that argument as well as the fact that the amounts of substances were small, describing them as “drug court territory.” 

After hearing submissions the court, presided over by magistrate Charmaine Galea, turned down the request. 

Inspectors Paul Camilleri, Kurt Farrugia and Antonello Magri prosecuted. 

Lawyer Jose’ Herrera was counsel to El-Haddoudi. 

Lawyers Franco Debono and Francesca Zarb were counsel to the other two accused.