Two men were yesterday charged with importing about 4.5 kilograms of cocaine inside a Peugeot 406 that arrived by sea from the UK on Monday.

Paschalino Cefai, 31, of Żebbuġ, Gozo, who sells detergents and owns a car dealership, and George Frendo, 45, unemployed of Żurrieq, denied the charges. Lawyer Arthur Azzopardi, appearing for Mr Frendo, asked Magistrate Giovanni Grixti for bail. He said Mr Frendo had been granted police bail and showed up the next day for further questioning, demonstrating his reliability.

The magistrate denied the request.

Mr Cefai’s lawyers, Giannella and Gianluca Caruana Curran, did not request bail.

The men are pleading not guilty to conspiring to import and importing cocaine.

Mr Cefai also pleaded not guilty to conspiring to traffic and trafficking in cannabis in November, importing the drug and having it in his possession in circumstances denoting it was not for his personal use.

Mr Frendo pleaded not guilty to being in possession of cannabis.

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