A magistrate jailed a man for 18 months after she found him guilty of trafficking heroin in 2008.

John Mary Axiaq, 42, from Zabbar, was also found guilty of being in possession of the drug, and relapsing.

The case dates back to April 14, 2008 when police had received a tip-off that six people were abusing of drugs in the man’s residence in Triq il-Kbira, Zabbar.

Inside, the police found 14 empty sachets of heroin and other drug-related items.

The court heard drug users testify that they used to purchase drugs from the accused.

One said he used to buy two to three sachets of heroin a week.This person said that one time the accused told him that he wanted to stop abusing of drugs because he was becoming well-known to the police due to his popularity with drug users.

As she dismissed Mr Axiaq’s argument that the drugs were for his personal use, Magistrate Marseann Farrugia, argued that it was clear that the accused had been dealing in drugs.

She  jailed him for 18 months and fined him €1,000, and ordered that he starts a drug rehabilitation programme.

Police Inspector Fabian Fleri prosecuted.