Tip-off to police leads to drug bust

A magistrate yesterday heard how police officers found five packets containing cannabis resin under the passenger seat of a car after being tipped-off about a drug deal that was going to take place in Gozo.

Police Inspector Maurice Curmi explained that on July 27, at about 4 p.m., the police were informed that a certain Joseph Rizzo would be going to the house of Joseph Baldacchino, in Gozo, to deal in drugs. The police waited outside Baldacchino's house and after some time they saw a Subaru park close by.

A 30-year-old man, whose name cannot be published by court order, was at the wheel of the car. Rizzo walked out and the police approached him.

During a search, the police found five packets containing cannabis resin under the passenger seat.

The police inspector was testifying before Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera in the compilation of evidence against Rizzo, 42, of Paola, who is pleading not guilty to conspiring to deal in drugs and the possession of the drug in circumstances denoting it was not for his personal use.

The 30-year-old driver, from Lija, is undergoing a separate court case and is pleading not guilty to the same charges.

Inspector Curmi yesterday also explained that the 30-year-old told the police he had gone to Gozo because he had a meeting with the Gozitan representatives of a company.

He said he ran into Rizzo on the Gozo ferry and the latter asked him to give him a lift to Baldacchino's house since he had locked his car keys in the car.

The man said that Rizzo was carrying a bag at the time but he did not know what it contained. He did admit, however, that a joint found by the police was his.

The case continues.