Arguments for bail in the case of a 22-year-old Italian woman, Greta Grassi, and a 44-year-old Maltese man, Michael Aquilina, who were caught with 70kg of suspected marijuana are likely to be heard next week.

The pair were caught on 7 September entering Ghadira Bay via boat. Members of the drug squad and the Armed Forces of Malta were alerted and jointly carried out the search.

Magistrate Neville Camilleri, presiding over the case, heard an expert witness testify to having identified the contents of a haversack found inside the boat with the accused.

Lawyers Roberto Montalto and Gian-Luca Caruana Curran represented Grassi, while lawyer Kathleen Calleja Grima is representing Aquilina. Inspector Justine Grech prosecuted. Testifying in court, the inspector explained that when Grassi and Aquilina were taken to the police station, she patted down Grassi and found more of what was suspected to be marijuana on her person.

Onto the issue of any witnesses still having to come forward, Grech argued that out of the four, two were under police investigation and the other two are outside freely. This will likely be used as an objection to bail for fear of tampering with witnesses.

The expert witness is tasked with coming back to the court to highlight the value of the drugs found in their possession.