Arguing flatmates lead police to cocaine, cannabis stash

An argument amongst flatmates has ended up with a Sicilian man being charged with drug trafficking, after police discovered an undisclosed amount of cocaine and cannabis resin at a flat in St Paul’s Bay.

Police Inspectors Malcolm Bondin and Godwin Scerri arraigned Antonino Tuzza from Lentini in Sicily before magistrate Audrey Demicoli this morning. The 43-year-old was charged with trafficking cannabis, aggravated possession of cannabis plants, cannabis resin and cocaine, all in circumstances which indicated that they were not intended for his personal use.

Tuzza, who described himself as a construction worker and told the court that he did not have a fixed address, had been arrested by police responding to a report about a disturbance at the flat. Once inside the premises, police officers had found the drugs together with a number of items that indicated drug trafficking.

Lawyer Christopher Chircop was appointed legal aid by the court after it was told that the accused had insufficient means to pay for a lawyer to represent him.

Tuzza pleaded not guilty to the charges. Bail was not requested as the accused currently had no fixed address, but Chircop informed the court that he was reserving the right to do so at a later stage.