Man held at airport over drugs

Customs enforcement unit officers scored their second success in under a week when on Saturday they intercepted at the airport a 31-year-old Libyan man allegedly in possession of 250 grammes of cannabis resin.

The Libyan, who according to Customs is a frequent visitor to the island, had just arrived on an Air Malta flight. He went through the green channel but was stopped by a Customs officer. The one piece of luggage he was carrying did not yield anything illegal but the inquisitive officer felt a body search would be appropriate. The passenger tried to escape as he was being escorted to the search room by Customs officers, who gave chase.

By the Customs officers' account, the Libyan threw away a block of cannabis resin when he rushed through the gate leading to the road outside the airport.

He was apprehended by the immigration police and handed over to the drug squad. He has been remanded in custody and is to be arraigned in the coming days.

The Customs enforcement unit on Monday stropped another Libyan national - Emad A. M. Alghrari, 23 - at the airport after allegedly being found in possession of 2.2 kilogrammes of heroin. The drug was allegedly found in a false bottom of a suitcase. The man, who has since been arraigned, had arrived from Tripoli on an Air Malta flight.