Six arraigned after three drug raids

Four men and two women were yesterday arraigned on drug charges following three raids by police on Tuesday which netted a haul of close to 400 ecstasy tablets, over 1.7 kilos of cannabis resin and 13 grammes of cocaine.

Godfrey Ellul, 53, of St Julian's was charged with possession and trafficking of cocaine and cannabis resin while Ian Ciantar, 21, of Swieqi was charged with possession of ecstasy and cocaine, possession of cannabis resin in circumstances denoting it was not for his personal use and the consignment of psychotropic drugs.

Rio Micallef, 18, of Marsa was charged with possession of ecstasy in circumstances denoting it was not for his personal use.

Two Ukrainian women, Viktoria Burdasova, 20, and Iryna Negrodova, 23, were given a one-month jail term suspended for a year for the possession of cocaine.

Mohamed Abdul Salem Muftah, 31, born in France and travelling on a Libyan passport, was fined Lm500 for possession of heroin and cocaine.

All three will be deported.

Police Inspector Norbert Ciappara prosecuted.

Dr Joseph Brincat was counsel to Ellul, Dr Leo Bencini to Muftah and Dr Joseph Giglio assisted the women.