St Julian's man remanded in custody over heroin and synthetic cannabis trafficking
Leone Aguis, 39, from St Julian's, was remanded after police found drugs at his Ta' Giorni home. Phone data suggests links to a wider trafficking network.
Ta' Giorni resident held on drug trafficking charges after home search
Leone Aguis, 39, from St Julian's, has been remanded in custody after allegedly trafficking synthetic cannabis and heroin, Times of Malta reports.
Police had been monitoring Aguis for several months following information received about his involvement in the sale and distribution of drugs. Surveillance near his residence in Ta' Giorni uncovered unusual activity, including people with drug addictions conducting small exchanges in the vicinity.
Officers searched his home this week and recovered packets of synthetic cannabis from under his bed and inside a handbag. Small quantities of a substance suspected to be heroin were also seized. The court subsequently issued a freezing and seizure order against the accused.
An extraction of data from Aguis's mobile phone allegedly indicated that he was part of a wider drug trafficking network. The prosecution told the court that further arrests had not been ruled out, as investigators were still identifying other individuals through the phone data.
On Friday, Aguis pleaded not guilty to charges of drug trafficking, possession of synthetic cannabis and heroin, and recidivism. The prosecution noted that he had stopped attending a detox centre over the previous three weeks and was unemployed.
The court heard testimony from the accused's sister, who stated under oath that she was willing to supervise him if released. She explained that their mother had poor eyesight and depended on her son for around 70% of her daily needs.
Police opposed bail, arguing that investigations remained ongoing and that Aguis had never demonstrated any willingness to change his circumstances. They also contended that the drugs found at the residence could have posed a risk to his mother given her condition.
The defence maintained that Aguis had always cooperated with police and had the support of his family. The court rejected the bail application.
Inspector Mark Mercieca and Attorney General's lawyer Ylenia Marie Abela prosecuted. Lawyer Francesca Zarb and Franco Debono represented Aguis.
Source: Times of Malta