A 26-year-old Libyan man is standing trial after he pleaded not guilty to conspiring to traffic in cannabis resin and heroin and importing cannabis resin.

The court, presided over by Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono, heard police inspector Dennis Theuma recount how Murad G M Erhuma was apprehended at the Arrivals Lounge at Malta International Airport on 17 September 2004. He had just arrived on a flight from Tripoli.

Inspector Theuma said the defendant had hired a fellow Libyan Magdi Ayad Bin Elkayal for $700 as a courier to carry cannabis resin to Malta. The defendant boarded on the same airplane as his courier; however Elkayal was stopped by customs officials who carried a search on his person and goods. He was found in possession of 740 grammes of resin worth e4,658.74 (Lm2,000). Elkayal immediately gave the defendant away, who was immediately apprehended at the arrivals lounge.

Inspector Theuma told the court and the jury that Erhuma had hired another courier in December 2003 to bring to Malta 38 grammes of heroin worth e6,988.12 (Lm3,000). The courier, Omar Mohamed Mehemud Erayani was promised 3,000 dinars for his service. He was apprehended at the customs point on arrival on 18 December.

In the afternoon, Elkayal was brought to testify. Elkayal said the defendant gave him three packets in Tripoli, which at the time he thought were archaeological artefacts. Customs officials found the packets in his underpants. At the time he did not know what they contained, however, when opened recognised them as being three bars of cannabis resin.

He said he had known the defendant since childhood.

Assistant Attorney General Anthony Barbara assisted by Dr Nadine Sant prosecuted while Dr Joe Mifsud appeared for the defendant.