Courier suspected boat was used to import drugs

Magistrate Miriam Hayman yesterday ruled there were enough reasons to indict Ekram Abdel Aziz Mubarak, an Egyptian who was allegedly caught in possession of 15.5 kilos of cannabis resin last December 22.

Police Inspector Dennis Theuma yesterday testified that the police had received information that a drug deal was about to take place in Rabat. Officers were even given the make and number of the car that had to be used, a Citroen Saxo bearing the registration EAX-759.

Drug squad police officers intercepted the car in Rabat. It was being driven by Mr Mubarak, who lived in St Paul's Bay. He did not offer any resistance and as the police asked him to open the luggage boot he immediately told them he had a bag containing drugs and was prepared to tell them everything.

Officers found small packets in a big bag in the luggage boot. The packets contained bars of cannabis resin each weighing about 245 grams. There were 59 bars, with a total weight of 14.56 kilos.

Insp. Theuma said Mr Mubarak told the police he got the drugs from Andrea Zammit, who expected Lm250 for each bar and he could keep whatever he got over and above that. The accused was estimating to earn Lm8 from each bar.

The witness said Mr Zammit had a farm close to Tal-Virtù in Rabat and the accused said that at midnight the day before he was intercepted he had gone to collect the drug hidden in a tree on the farm. He said the road leading to the farm was a private one.

Drug squad police officers then went on the farm and conducted a search. An empty plastic bag was found and this was similar to the ones in which the resin found in the car was wrapped.

A sniffer dog brought on the scene went straight to it, indicating that drugs had been in it, Insp. Theuma said. Traces of resin were found in it when the bag was analysed by forensic experts.

When questioned at the police headquarters, Mr Mubarak said he had worked with Mr Zammit and his brothers on a boat and it was Mr Zammit who encouraged him to sell drugs when he needed money to help his father who is sick in Egypt.

Insp. Theuma said the accused told the police he suspected drugs were imported using the same boat because when he worked on it he used to see "strange things".

Under cross-examination, Insp. Theuma said Mr Zammit was never known to the police in connection with drugs but he was now being investigated. He added that the accused had said he had been threatened by two Maltese nationals who are being investigated. One of them is said to have threatened Mr Mubarak with a shotgun.

The case continues.

Inspector Dennis Theuma prosecuted.

Lawyers Jason Azzopardi and Kris Busietta are defence counsel.