Men jailed 17 years for cocaine, heroin trafficking

Two men were this morning jailed for a total of 17 years and fined €45,000 between them after they admitted to being in possession of and trafficking heroin and cocaine in 2007.

Duncan Scerri, 38, of Salina, and 35-year-old Walid Laouini, a Tunisian man residing in St Paul’s Bay, were initially charged back in 2007 but had pleaded not guilty. Following a request by the defence, the case was heard behind closed doors.

Subsequently, the accused were placed under a bill of indictment, and later admitted to the charges rather than standing trial by jury.

The case occurred on April 27, 2007, when police had seized close to a kilo of cocaine from the two men after searching their vehicle, a Daewoo Matiz, at the Luxol Grounds.

Police officials from the Drug Squad had approached the car at around 6:30 pm, when one of the accused, later identified as being Laouini, tried to escape but was quickly apprehended by police.

In the vehicle police discovered 96 capsules of cocaine, weighing around 914 grams and valued at around €70,000. They were discovered to be 57.3% pure. Police had later discovered that the men were also in possession of 45 grams of heroin, cannabis resin and 14 cannabis seeds.

Mr Justice Michael Mallia handed Scerri a nine-year imprisonment term and fined €25,000. On his part, Laouini was sentenced to eight years in prison and fined €20,000.