A 36-year-old man from Tarxien, who was due to stand trial on drug trafficking charges, was jailed for 14 years and fined Lm20,000 yesterday, after he pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him.

Before Mr Justice Giannino Caruana Demajo, Simon Galdes pleaded guilty to trafficking and conspiring to deal in more than one kilogramme of heroin and about 500 grammes of cocaine, valued at about Lm50,000 and Lm20,000 respectively.

According to the bill of indictment, the drugs were hidden in a garage next door to Galdes’ house in Tarxien and he committed the crime on and before October 2003.

He was found to be in possession of the drugs on 19 and 20 October 2003.

In a note handed over to the court, the prosecution had said that should Galdes plead guilty, he should be jailed for 14 years and fined Lm20,000.

Mr Justice Caruana Demajo also ordered the confiscation of all the accused’s assets.

Assistant Attorney General Stephen Tonna Lowell prosecuted and Dr Jason Azzopardi, Dr Emmanuel Mallia and Dr Giannella Caruana Curran appeared for Galdes.