A man spent his birthday in a cell on Sunday after having been arrested, along with two others, for possession of drugs on Saturday.

The three were marched to court on Monday morning and granted bail.

The men were arrested in Paceville after a search revealed drugs in sachets hidden in their private parts.

Sebastian Fiedler from Żabbar, who celebrated his 23rd birthday on Sunday, Ivaylo Perkov, a 29-year old Bulgarian-born residing at Marsascala, and a 20-year old currently residing with a foster family, whose identity is not being revealed on account of ongoing police investigation, were arrested and taken to court facing various drug-related charges.

The first two were charged with the possession of cocaine and ecstasy in circumstances indicating that it was not for personal use, while the 20-year old was charged with the possession of cocaine as well as the aggravated possession and trafficking of cannabis.

All three were charged with having committed the alleged offences within 100 metres from a location that was a popular youth spot.

Prosecuting officer Frank Anthony Tabone explained how the arrests followed a raid by the Drugs Squad in Paceville. A personal search on the three young men yielded varying amounts of drugs in plastic sachets hidden in their private parts.

All three pleaded not guilty and were granted bail against a deposit of €1,000, a personal guarantee of €6,000. 

Two remanded in custody

In a separate case, two men were remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to various drug-related and false currency charges upon their arraignment.

Antoine Agius, a 35-year old Qormi resident, owner of two shops, and Clive Agius, a 32-year old mechanic from Floriana, were charged separately after having been arrested last Saturday in Paceville following a surveillance operation on a Qormi residence in the preceding days.

Inspector Frank Anthony Tabone explained how officers from the Drugs Squad, keeping watch on the Qormi residence of Antoine Agius had observed a Toyota being driven out of the garage. The other accused, Clive Agius, had been at the wheel.

A search of this vehicle had yielded varying amounts of cocaine, heroin and other drug-related paraphernalia. A search of the Qormi residence further yielded cannabis grass, suspected counterfeit banknotes, an undisclosed amount of cash as well as weapons and ammunition.

Some 100 grams of cannabis were found inside the garage, while €1,900 were discovered in the possession of Clive Agius, together with a further €200 suspected counterfeit currency.

Inside the Qormi residence, police encountered a woman, allegedly Antoine Agius’s girlfriend, who is expected to testify in the proceedings, the court was informed.

Antoine Agius was charged with aggravated possession of cannabis and cocaine, possession of unlicensed weapons and ammunition, falsification of currency, as well as being a relapser. The other co-accused was charged with aggravated possession of cocaine and heroin, possessing four false banknotes, relapsing and breaching a Probation Order.

Both men pleaded not guilty and requested bail, which however was denied by the court, presided over by magistrate Josette Demicoli, in view of the gravity of the offences and the fact that a civilian witness was still to testify.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia were counsel to Antoine Agius.

Lawyer Gianluca Caruana Curran was counsel to Clive Agius.

A temporary Supervision Order was also issued in favour of the 20-year old.

Lawyers Franco Debono, Amadeus Cachia and Marion Camilleri were counsel to the first two men.

Lawyers Kathleen Grima and Francois Dalli were counsel to the 20-year old.

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