An American and a Panamanian were charged with money laundering yesterday.

John Joseph Evans, 31, pleaded guilty while Vladimir Omar Fernandez Delgado, 30, said he was not guilty.

They were charged with transferring and holding property they knew had been acquired as a result of criminal activity. Mr Evans was also accused of associating with others to traffic cocaine and of procuring or offering to procure the drug, which he had in his possession. Both were remanded in custody.

The two men arrived in Malta from Madrid on Thursday afternoon. They were held by the police following a find of half a kilo of cocaine that evening.