Ex-gambling arcade employee arraigned over heroin pushing

A father of three was remanded in custody yesterday after pleading not guilty to trafficking in heroin and handling counterfeit bank notes earlier this week.

Roderick Gerada, 30, of Marsa was charged with trafficking heroin on Wednesday and being in possession of 100 grams of heroin in circumstances denoting the substance was not for his personal use.

Mr Gerada was also accused of knowingly buying or receiving €3,300 in false notes.

He also denied being in possession of cocaine on Tuesday.

Defence counsel Joseph Giglio and Gianella Caruana Curran argued that Mr Gerada had previously been employed in a gambling arcade but lost his job following the authorities' clampdown on such outlets. Mr Gerada had cooperated with the police and had a relatively clean police record, they noted.

Magistrate Antonio Mizzi turned down a request for bail and ordered that Mr Gerada be remanded in custody at least until witnesses were heard.

Police Inspector Victor Aquilina prosecuted.