A court has denied bail to a man who was arrested during a major police operation in Qormi on Friday.

Clayton McKay, 25, from Qormi, was arraigned on Sunday morning and charged with aggravated drug possession and relapsing. He pleaded not guilty.

McKay was one of three people arrested in the drug squad operation.

The court, presided over by magistrate Gabriella Vella, heard how the police had found some 163 grammes of heroin and 91 grammes of cocaine in the suspect’s possession during last Friday’s search.

The accused had already been fined €1,000 in 2017 after he was found guilty of being in possession of and firing and unlicensed weapon in a built up area.

During his arraignment on Sunday, defence lawyers Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia requested bail., which was turned down by the court in view of the fact that civilian witnesses were still to testify, the risk of tampering with evidence, as well as on the basis of the gravity of the offences and the untrustworthy character of the accused.

The court also issued a freezing order, allowing the accused the statutory yearly allowance of some €13,000.

Inspector Anthony Scerri prosecuted.