Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela said that between January and August 2016, a total of 87 persons were arraigned in court over drug possession, 90 were arraigned in connection with drug trafficking and 542 were brought before the newly established drugs tribunal.

The tribunal was set up under the decriminalisation of marijuana, ecstasy and cocaine which provides that possession of a certain quantity of each results in a fine and/or being brought before the drugs tribunal.

In the cases where persons were arraigned in court over drug possession and trafficking, there was a combination of people being given jail time, fines, suspended sentences, and acquittals, all in accordance with Maltese law.

The information came in response to a parliamentary question put forward this evening in parliament.