Maltese man's arrest in Tunis - Egyptian arraigned in connection with same case

An Egyptian man resident in Malta for the past 17 years was taken to court this morning and accused of conspiring to import and traffic 50kg of cannabis - the same case over which a Maltese man was arrested in Tunisia last week.

Ahmed El Fadali Anan, 40, was also accused of inciting other people to commit the crime and the possession of cocaine.

Police Insepctor Dennis Theuma told the court that investigations showed that the accused had contacts with people in various countries and he had transferred money to Italy and Tunis. He was also involved with a Maltese man arrested in Tunis for allegedly planning to ship 50kg of cannabis to Malta.

The Egyptian, who, has no family in Malta, also has another pending court case which is not drug-related.

The inspector said the prosecution was objecting to the granting of bail.

Defence counsel Marion Camilleri in seeking bail said that had the accused wanted to leave the island, he would have done so following his first court case. The gravity of the new case was no reason to refuse bail.

Magistrate Audrey Demicoli, however, remanded the accused in custody.