Maltese man found with 50kg of cannabis in Tunisia

A man has been caught in Tunisia trying to export about 50 kilograms of cannabis resin to Malta.

The man, 32, was arrested by Tunisian police after a search in his hotel room in Nabeul.

Sources close to the police said the Tunisian authorities were still investigating how the cannabis, consisting of foot-long blocks numbering about a hundred, were going to be exported.

However, they said it was likely the blocks were going to be shipped by sea as such a large amount of cannabis would probably not have made it through airport security.

It remains unclear what exactly led to the man's arrest. His identity could not be confirmed yesterday evening.

Nabeul, which is located about 40 miles from the country's capital Tunis, is a popular coastal town with tourists.

The penalties in Tunisia for drug-related charges are known to be severe.

kbugeja@timesofmalta.com