Mario Zammit was apprehended by police and arrested on 18 October 1996 as he was leaving a court room and voluntarily gave the officers a large package containing several sachets of heroin.

His girlfriend, Maria Claudette Micallef, had been searched and arrested as she was waiting for him in court and admitted she had several sachets of heroin hidden on her person.

Ms Micallef told the police that Zammit had prepared the sachets and asked her to hide them in her private parts so they would be more difficult to find. In her court testimony, Ms Micallef admitted that the drugs she had been carrying were for her and the accused to sell near the Valletta City Gate toilets. She said that her boyfriend regularly sold heroin at Lm10 a sachet in this area.

Zammit had admitted drug possession but had refused to answer when asked whether he also

trafficked drugs.

During a search of his residence, the police seized a number of syringes, citric acid and other items connected with drug abuse.

Ms Micallef’s testimony was consistent and corroborated the forensic evidence presented. Zammit was therefore found guilty of trafficking drugs and also of breaching the terms of a previous sentence and relapsing in view of previous convictions.

As well as being sentenced to six years in prison, Zammit was ordered to pay a Lm1,000 fine and court expenses.

The court was presided over by Magistrate Abigail Lofaro and Superintendent Neil Harrison prosecuted.