Cannabis plants 'grew to over 10 feet'

A part-time farmer accused of cultivating and possessing over 19 kilos of cannabis admitted to the police that the drugs seized in fields in Nadur were his, jurors heard yesterday.

Police Superintendent Neil Harrison said the cannabis leaves, with a street value of €46,600 (Lm20,000) were seized by the police from Paul Muscat's fields and from his house in the same village on December 16, 2003.

Mr Muscat, 59, is facing a trial by jury charged with conspiring to traffic 19 kilos of cannabis, cultivating the plant, dealing in cannabis and the possession of dried cannabis leaves in circumstances denoting it was not for his personal use.

Superintendent Harrison told Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono that he had received information about Mr Muscat and started surveillance.

The surveillance team was split up into three units, monitoring two fields and Mr Muscat's home. They observed Mr Muscat leaving his home carrying a sack on a motorcycle and followed him to one of his fields.

The police officers stopped him and asked what he had in the bag. On searching him, they found dried cannabis leaves.

Another sack of cannabis leaves was found at Mr Muscat's house.

Supt Harrison said that during a search in the fields owned by Mr Muscat, the police found three large barrels holding 34 bags containing dried cannabis leaves.

He said that in a police statement, the accused had told police that all the drugs were his.

Mr Muscat told them that he had found a box of matches with seeds in it and he planted them out of curiosity to find out what the seeds were, Supt Harrison said.

Police Inspector Nezren Grixti, who along with Supt Harrison investigated the case, said Mr Muscat cultivated cannabis plants which had grown to over 10 feet.

Prosecuting lawyer Lara Lanfranco, who is being assisted by Nadine Sant, both representing the Attorney General, said that on and before December 2003, Mr Muscat cultivated large amounts of cannabis in his fields in Wied Binġemma and in Kunfittier, limits of Nadur.

She said that he was caught red-handed with a sack full of cannabis which he was about to sell for €5,592 (Lm2,400).

During yesterday's sitting, a number of court experts testified about their findings.

Pharmacist Mario Mifsud told jurors that if the amount found was mixed with tobacco, as is usually done in the case of cannabis, it would be possible to extract 63,799 reefers.

The prosecution rested its case yesterday and the trial is expected to continue today.

Lawyer Joe Brincat is appearing for Mr Muscat.