A man allegedly involved with organising a human trafficking racket and another who allegedly assisted in providing “smuggled” persons with a residence were both remanded in custody on Sunday. 

Hamid Saleh, a 45-year-old self-employed Syrian national, living in Fgura, pleaded not guilty to various charges stemming from his alleged role in promoting and participating in a criminal conspiracy for the purpose of assisting people to unlawfully enter or leave Malta. 

A number of other individuals had been arraigned last year over their alleged involvement in a suspected human trafficking racket following police investigations sparked by the arrival of a boatload of migrants at Delimara on September 14, 2022. 

Further investigations since then revealed some six witnesses who claimed that they had handed over money to Saleh for human trafficking purposes. 

Working on that information, corroborated by phone localisation data, police issued charges against the suspect who was arrested.

On Sunday, Saleh was charged with organising a trip and ferrying migrants illegally to Malta between August 20 and October 3 last year. 

The accused pleaded not guilty and requested bail. 

After hearing submissions by both parties, the court, presided over by Magistrate Charmaine Galea, denied the request. 

Accused of providing relatives with accommodation

Khlef Housein, a 28-year-old Syrian national also living at Fgura, was arraigned next, pleading not guilty to breaching immigration laws by assisting two relatives, providing them with a place to live in after they landed in Malta irregularly. 

He pleaded not guilty.

Although the second accused faced lesser charges, his request for bail was also turned down after submissions were made by both parties. 

Such crimes posed a risk to national security and, therefore, the court could not send out the message that anyone could freely enter the country, Magistrate Galea remarked. 

Inspectors Karl Roberts and Lydon Zammit prosecuted. Lawyers Alfred Abela and René Darmanin are counsel to Saleh. Lawyer Mario Mifsud is counsel to Housein.