Police arrest 13 in drug operations

The police said this afternoon that over the past days they interrogated 13 persons in connection with the discovery of drugs in four separate operations.

The Drug Squad said it raided a bar in Birkirkara on Saturday followng a tip-off about drug trafficking. The barman was seen throwing away a capsule containing 10 grams of cocaine and was promptly arrested. A 39-year-old woman from Zejtun was also arrested. The barman was arraigned on Monday and pleaded guilty. Sentence is due to be handed down in the coming days.

On Sunday the police arrested nine men aged between 19 and 27 during a party on the granaries in Floriana when they were found to be in possession of cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy. Two are due to be accused of trafficking.

On Wednesday a 32-year-old Libyan man resident at Attard was arrested at the airport in connection with the discovery of 3.4kgs of heroin at the airport on September 17.

He was accused in court this morning of importing and association to import drugs. Another four persons – a Maltese woman and three Libyan men, have already been arraigned in connection with the case.

This morning, policemen and Customs officers arrested a 35-year-old man from Gambia after seven capsules containing 250 grams of cocaine were found in his stomach. He had arrived on a flight from Girona, Spain.

He was also arraigned this morning and refused bail.