Three charged with drug trafficking

Three men were yesterday charged with drug possession and trafficking and with conspiring to traffick drugs.

Godwin Agius, 40, of Mellieha, Clayton Neal Camilleri, 21, of Zebbug and Ambrose Zammit, 21, of Mellieha were arraigned under arrest by Inspectors Neil Harrison and Chris Pullicino before Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani Grima.

Agius and Camilleri were denied bail and remanded in custody and Zammit was placed under house arrest against a deposit of Lm1,000 and a personal guarantee of Lm8,000.

Edward Gatt, who appeared for both Camilleri and Zammit, argued that his client should be granted bail as he was a first time offender who lived with his mother. Dr Gatt said his client's father had passed away recently and Zammit would be under his mother's gaze not to do anything silly anymore.

Zammit had been exploited by the other accused and had fully cooperated with the police, Dr Gatt argued.

Insp. Harrison replied that although the accused in question had cooperated with the police, one cannot say he was exploited as the two kilos of cannabis resin were found in his possession and he was arrested with the other two moments after he had bought the drugs.

Insp. Harrison said the accused declared in his statement he was not a drug abuser but used to buy drugs to sell at a profit to make some money on the side. He had done this for some four months before his arrest, the officer said.