Man arrested with 224 sachets of synthetic drugs claims they are all for personal use

A man arrested in possession of 224 sachets of synthetic drugs has claimed that they were all for his own use, a court was told this afternoon. 

Inspector Mark Mercieca arraigned Nathan Hili, 22, from Hamrun on charges of possession of synthetic drugs in circumstances which denoted they were not solely for his personal use. He was also accused of simple possession of cannabis. 

Hili pleaded not guilty and requested bail. 

The prosecution said the drugs were enough to service 200 people. The defence lawyer argued that despite the large amount, the drugs were not intended for sale, stating that this type of drug was simply not sold in smaller amounts. 

Inspector Mercieca told magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech that the man had been arrested several times in the past but had always been released without charge as the drugs in his possession were not scheduled substances at the time. Recent amendments to the law had changed this, he added. 

Objecting to bail, the inspector added that Hili was found to be carrying three mobile phones and was observed to always use a rental car, despite not having an income. 

Although he lived with his parents, they were having difficulty controlling him, said the inspector. 

The Court, after taking into account the nature of the charges together with the early stage of the proceedings, denied bail. The accused was not trustworthy enough to be granted bail at this stage, said the magistrate, ordering Hili to be remanded in custody.