Suspected arms dealer granted bail one month after arrest

A man arraigned last month over the discovery of an unlicensed firearm in his car has been released on bail.

Aaron Cassar, 41, from Birzebbugia, had been charged in May with carrying the loaded firearm in public without a licence and breaching bail conditions which were secured by a €20,000 guarantee.

Cassar was already out on bail over a 2018 arson attack on the home of Deniro Magri, who, in turn, is accused of murdering Sylvester Farrugia in 2017 in what is believed to be a gang-related crime.

He was arrested in a raid by the Major Crimes Department and Rapid Intervention Unit after the police were tipped off that an illegal arms sale was about to take place.

A loaded firearm was found in the boot of Cassar’s car by the police. During his arraignment, Cassar’s lawyer, David Gatt, had argued that the weapon was inoperable.

In a sitting yesterday, Cassar who had been remanded in custody since his arraignment in May, was released on bail against a deposit of €500 and a personal guarantee of €20,000. He was also ordered to sign a bail book daily and observe a curfew.

READ MORE: Man involved in gangland tit-for-tat charged with keeping unlicenced firearm in car