Army drug heist: Fifth man charged, received stolen cannabis resin

Updated at 1:18pm with court details

A fifth man linked to the drug heist from the army’s Ħal Safi barracks was charged on Thursday morning with various drug possession and trafficking offences.

Liam Stewart, a 23-year-old man from Pietà, pleaded not guilty to a plethora of charges, including the possession and trafficking of cannabis resin, cannabis and cocaine.

Stewart was also accused of committing offences within 100 metres from a place in which youths gather and purchasing or receiving things stolen or acquired by way of a criminal offence. He was also charged with driving without a licence and causing voluntary damage to a van.

Inspector Alfredo Mangion informed the Court that the police had received information that the accused could have been involved in the drug heist inasmuch as he was in possession of some of the stolen drugs. Stewart was subsequently arrested in Hamrun, where he initially reversed into a van before searches were carried out on his person and vehicle.

A plastic bag containing cannabis resin was found in the accused’s pocket, with a substance believed to be cocaine also being found in his car. Further searches were conducted at the residence of the accused, where two bags containing a substantial amount of cannabis buds as well as suspected cocaine were found. Paraphernalia related to drug trafficking, and cannabis packaged into blocks were also found.

The Court was informed that the cannabis blocks corresponded to what had been stolen.

When questioned by defence lawyer Franco Debono about how the connection to the drug heist was made, Mangion noted that the packaging and size of the blocks were the same. He further recalled that this was the first time he had witnessed a drug seizure of this type and scale during his time within the drug squad.

The validity of the arrest was not contested, with the defence however requesting bail.

The prosecution objected to the request, noting that four to five kilogrammes of drugs and €8,000 in cash had been found. It was further recalled that the owner of the damaged van was yet to testify. The origins of the investigation and the public order element pertinent to the case were also mentioned.

Lawyer Franco Debono however argued that the submissions of the prosecution were nothing but a ‘concatenation of conjectures’. He further contended that the charge of receiving stolen items had made no reference to the drug heist, and that the accused is ready to abide by any conditions imposed by the Court. Reference to the clean criminal record of the accused was also made.

The bail request was denied and a freezing order was issued.

The prosecution was led by Inspectors Alfredo Mangion and Jeffrey Scicluna Briffa with the assistance of AG lawyer Maria Francesca Spiteri.

Defence lawyers Franco debono and Adreana Zammit appeared for Stewart.The arraignment took place before Magistrate Elaine Rizzo.

On Wednesday, four men were charged with participating in the heist, with the court hearing that 12 people had been arrested. The four pleaded not guilty and were remanded in custody.

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