A teenager and a 20-year-old yesterday appeared in court to answer charges of dealing in 250 grams of cannabis resin.

Justin Zahra, 20, from Msida and a 17-year-old from Sliema who cannot be named as he is still a minor, pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to deal in a quarter of a kilo of the drugs on 9 September 2007. They were also accused of cannabis possession.

Zahra alone was charged with ecstasy and cocaine possession. The court, presided over by magistrate Audrey Demicoli, set bail against a personal guarantee of Lm2,000 for each accused and a deposit of Lm200 for the older accused.

Police inspector Dennis Theuma prosecuted while Dr Edward Gatt and Dr Stephen Thake appeared for the accused. The two were stopped by police late on Monday night at the top of Savoy Hill in Gzira.