Drugs suspect arrested just before leaving Malta

An Italian man wanted by the police was already on board the ferry about to head for home when he was arrested for dealing in cannabis resin, a police inspector yesterday told a court.

Inspector Neil Harrison explained how Claudio Porsenna was arrested after a 25-year-old St Julian's man, whose name cannot be published by court order, told the police that he had been commissioned by Porsenna to sell eight bars of cannabis resin, each weighing 250 grammes, at Lm400 each.

Inspector Harrison was testifying before Magistrate Antonio Mizzi in the compilation of evidence against Porsenna, 28, of Naples, and Aaron Pavia, 22, of Qawra, who are pleading not guilty to trafficking in cannabis resin and conspiring to sell the drug on and before May 2.

The inspector explained how on May 2 police were informed that the St Julian's man was going to be involved in a drug exchange that was to take place in St Julian's.

While they were keeping the area under observation police spotted the St Julian's man drive up the road leading to the Regional Road and park behind Pavia's car.

The police intervened and asked the St Julian's man if he had any drugs in his possession and the man handed them a 250-gramme bar of cannabis resin.

The police then conducted searches during which they seized another 250-gramme bar of cannabis from the freezer of the St Julian's man's house, as well as weighing scales, a small piece of cannabis, five grammes of cocaine and Lm800 from his bedroom.

The police also seized a metal box containing traces of cannabis from Pavia's house.

Inspector Harrison went on to explain that the St Julian's man had told police that he had bought the drugs from an Italian man called Porsenna who drove a car with an Italian registration plate.

He also told them that the Italian man was going to leave Malta later that day.

The inspector immediately contacted a constable at the Pinto Wharf Passenger Terminal and was informed that Claudio Porsenna was already on board although his car was still ashore.

Porsenna was arrested and taken to the police headquarters where he denied any connection with the drugs or knowing the St Julian's man.

Inspector Harrison said that during questioning the St Julian's man explained how he met Porsenna in a St Julian's bar. There Porsenna had told him that he had cannabis resin to sell and commissioned the St Julian's man to sell eight bars on his behalf.

The St Julian's man was instructed to sell each bar at Lm400 each. He told police that he had met Pavia to hand him one of the bars because Pavia knew of someone who was interested in buying it at Lm450.

The inspector said that during a statement Pavia also denied meeting the St Julian's man to buy drugs from him.

At the end of yesterday's court sitting Magistrate Mizzi ruled that there were enough reasons for the indictment of Porsenna and Pavia.

The two men were granted bail against a Lm3,000 deposit each. Porsenna alone is not allowed to leave his girlfriend's Birzebbuga house without permission from the court.

The case continues.

Police Inspector Harrison is prosecuting.

Dr Giannella Caruana Curran and Dr Emanuel Mallia are appearing for Pavia while Dr Franco Debono is appearing for Porsenna.