Hotel room raid lands man in court

A man was yesterday remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to trafficking and possessing heroin on and before last October 14 in Paceville.

Kevin Saliba, 33, of Sliema, pleaded not guilty to being in possession of and trafficking in heroin. He also pleaded not guilty to possessing cocaine in circumstances denoting it was not for his personal use, breaching a 15-month conditional discharge and committing a crime during the operative term of a suspended sentence imposed on him after having been found guilty of a drug-related crime.

The court heard that Mr Saliba was allegedly found in possession of between 50 and 60 grammes of cocaine during a police raid at a hotel room in Paceville.

Taking into consideration Mr Saliba's criminal record, Magistrate Edwina Grima turned down a request for bail. Police Inspector Norbert Ciappara prosecuted.

Lawyer Joseph Giglio and Stephan Tonna Lowell were defence counsel.