Police seek extradition of 'major drug dealer'

The police are seeking the extradition from The Netherlands of a Moroccan man who they allege has been a major supplier of drugs to Malta for over a decade.

Hasan Ben Sala was recently arrested in Holland and is facing money laundering charges there.

Police sources told The Times that a European arrest warrant has been issued so that Mr Ben Sala, who is in his 30s, would be extradited to Malta to face drug trafficking charges.

He is alleged to have been one of the main suppliers to known Maltese drug traffickers, many of whom are now in prison.

The sources said the police had evidence that the Moroccan had been sending large quantities of drugs, mainly cocaine, to Malta from The Netherlands since 1994. A number of couriers are understood to have been used in the drug smuggling operations.

Mr Ben Sala was recently arrested in The Netherlands while in the company of a Maltese man, Paul Debattista, who had been convicted of drug offences in Italy. Some €200,000 were found in the car in which the two men were arrested.

It is suspected that a drug deal was about to take place but no drugs were found by the Dutch police at the time of the arrest.

Mr Debattista, from Paola, known as il-Bloqq, is still in custody in The Netherlands but it is not known what charges he is facing.

About a year ago, Mr Debattista was charged with the attempted murder of several drug squad police officers. The court was told how a police drugs operation evolved into a car chase during which Mr Debattista rammed a police car before making his escape. He was arrested at a later date in Paola square.

He was released on bail.