Updated 2.50pm

Two people caught with 850 grams of cocaine and more than €65,000 in cash risk lengthy jail sentences after they were charged with possession of the drug with intent.

The suspects are 33-year-old Ian Zammit of Marsascala and 42-year-old Charmain Bezzina of Ħamrun.   

They were arrested on Thursday in Marsascala by officers acting on a tip-off about drug dealing from a Marsascala apartment, the police said. 

A police inspector told the court that officers saw Bezzina leave the apartment and stopped her. They found three sachets of cocaine on her when they searched her, and a further 100g of white powder suspected to be cocaine inside her car.

Officers then saw Zammit leave the apartment and searched him, finding a small bag of suspected cocaine. Inside the apartment, police found bags totalling just over 700g of cocaine and €65,000 in cash.

The two suspects were arraigned in court separately on Saturday morning. Both were charged with aggravated possession of cocaine in circumstances denoting it was not for personal use, commonly referred to as possession with intent, and being recidivists.

Both Zammit and Bezzina are known to the police and Zammit stands to lose a combined €46,000 in guarantees provided for bail in separate cases.

Both accused requested bail during their respective arraignments.  

Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri, appearing for Zammit, said all witnesses due to testify were police officers and that accusations of breach of bail needed to be proven in court.

The prosecuting inspector rebutted that Zammit had led the police to someone he did not even know, claiming she was his partner, to mislead them.

Prosecutors asked the court to freeze the assets of both Zammit and Bezzina. That request was upheld by the court.

Magistrate Josette Demicoli turned down Zammit’s bail request, citing the risk of tampering with evidence.

Bezzina, who was represented by lawyers David Gatt and Ishmael Psaila, was granted bail against a €1,000 deposit and €9,000 personal guarantee, ordered to sign a bail book three times a week and to respect a curfew.