Two men were yesterday arrested in one of the biggest drug finds so far, and the first major drug seizure of the year.
Drug Squad police seized a cache of 21,000 ecstasy pills and over 570 grams of cocaine, a police spokesperson said.
The drug find was the result of an operation that had been in the offing for weeks.
On Tuesday morning, the police stopped a Maltese-registered Mercedes van that had just arrived inside the Grand Harbour on a ship that was carrying both passengers and vehicles.
The ship had left Genoa, Italy and had stopped in Tunis, Tunisia before arriving to Malta.
The police arrested the two men who were in the van. One of them was identified as being 52 years of age from Rabat, and the other is 25 from Santa Venera.
The drug squad said it conducted an intensive search of the car, assisted by the Customs’ enforcement unit, inside the Police Headquarters in Floriana.
The drugs were found hidden behind wooden panels at the back of the van, stuffed inside 10 plastic bags.
Duty Magistrate Giovanni Grixti is handling the inquiry into the drug find, and the two persons arrested will be arraigned in court today.
Other investigations are under way.
Any comments?
If you wish your comments to be published in our Letters pages please click button below. Please write a contact number and a postal address where you may be contacted.
Download front page in pdf file format
All the interviews from Reporter on MaltaToday's YouTube channel.
Artists, art critics and friends unanimously gather to remember the impact and value of Ebba von Fersen Balzan’s work and her strong connection with the Maltese islands