Reformed drug user jailed for trafficking

A reformed drug user was jailed for 10 months and fined €470 after admitting to trafficking ecstasy and being in possession of cocaine and cannabis resin.

Vincent Grogan, 38, was found in possession of 80 ecstasy pills, two grammes of cocaine and cannabis at his home after the police raided his house in Kalkara on April 19, 2003.

At first, Mr Grogan did not cooperate with the police but in a second police statement he decided to give details, explaining that he turned to selling the drugs to sustain his own habit.

On the day he was caught, he was waiting for a phone call from another person from whom he bought drugs six times, adding that he would sometimes buy 100 pills but generally kept to a minimum of 50. He would sell the pills for about €9.3 and on that particular day he was going to purchase drugs for a friend. He admitted to the charges brought against him but denied trafficking in cannabis. In the absence of any evidence to support charges that he was dealing in the drug, the court found him not guilty.

Magistrate Lawrence Quintano said that from the probation report drawn up about Mr Grogan it was clear that he had reformed. He had still admitted to the charges though not at an early stage.