Four remanded in custody after half kilo cocaine haul in Zejtun

A magistrate this morning denied requests for bail by four people who faced a string of charges that varied from criminal conspiracy, financing, importation and trafficking in half a kilogramme of cocaine.

29 year-old truck driver Orazio Grixti was charged for being the mastermind and financier behind the drug ring, and had all assets frozen by court order.

Soon after he was remanded, Police Inspector Victor Aquilina charged Clayton Delia, 21 of Zejtun and his 31 year-old Spanish girlfriend Yoana Abella Sanz, and 36 year-old Dominican Republic national Julio Cesar Valerio Polanco for forming part of the criminal conspiracy to traffic the drug.

All pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The four were arrested two days ago following a raid on a house in Labour Avenue in Zejtun.

Police reportedly acted on intelligence which revealed that besides the cocaine filled capsules which were seized from the house, another consignment of 300 grammes of cocaine had managed to successfully find its way into the Maltese market during the past months.

While hearing submissions from defence lawyer Michael Sciriha who appeared for Clayton Delia, Magistrate Anthony Vella heard that his client was "unwittingly lured into the grievious situation" when he succumbed to his infatuation to the Spanish woman who is co-accused in the case.

Delia's father wept in the courtroom as Sciriha explained that Clayton Delia had no idea what was happening, and alleged that Yoana Sanz had led him to leave his father's house and live with her in Zejtun, while she was also seeing Orazio Grixti and dealing in drugs behind his back.

But Inspector Aquilina replied that although Delia had denied knowing what was happening, he had admitted to cocaine abuse.

Meanwhile, lawyer Cedric Mifsud who appeared for Yoana Sanza told the court that his client has a three year-old daughter who was taken away from her when arrested and is now being kept under care order at Angela House.

He argued that if his client was denied bail, there was a good chance that her biological father - who currently is facing charges on abuse in Madrid - would seek to take her back to Spain.

Inspector Aquilina said that the child was in very good hands, and added that she "definitely is in a safer and better environment, as she was exposed to cocaine abuse where she lived."

Despite the submissions, Magistrate Anthony Vella denied bail for all the accused.