Lija man to be charged over cannabis find

Compilation proceedings against a Lija man continued yesterday before Magistrate Anthony Vella. The accused's name cannot be published by court order as he is expected to testify in drug trafficking charges pending against Joseph Rizzo, 42, of Paola.

The case involves the find of large quantities of cannabis in Gozo and Malta. Rizzo and the Lija man were charged with drug trafficking and association for the purposes of drug trafficking respectively.

In yesterday's sitting the court heard that the accused met with Rizzo on the Gozo ferry and had proceeded to the home of a certain Joseph Buttigieg of Nadur. The police suspected that Rizzo was to sell the drugs to Buttigieg.

Both the Lija man and Rizzo were arrested and two and a half kilos of cannabis were found in the accused's possession. Following information given by the accused from Lija the police carried out a search and found three and a half kilos of cannabis in a field held by Rizzo at Kordin.

Magistrate Vella heard that both Rizzo and the accused had denied that the cannabis belonged to them. The accused told the police that the two cannabis joints found next to the car when he was arrested belonged to him and that he had purchased cannabis from Rizzo for the past eight years.

The court ruled that there was sufficient evidence for a bill of indictment to be issued against the accused.

Inspectors Nadia Lanzon and Maurice Curmi prosecuted.