A man and a woman have been remanded in custody on drugs charges in two separate arraignments on Saturday.

Before Magistrate Aaron Bugeja, Darren Robert Mercer, 45, from Luqa was charged by Inspector Joseph Xerri with having in the previous months, supplied or distributed cocaine and heroin, possession of cocaine and heroin in circumstances denoting they were not for personal use.

Mercer was apprehended after police executing a search warrant found cocaine and heroin in a safe in his bedroom. He took responsibility for the substances, the inspector said.

Lawyer David Camilleri entered a not guilty plea. He did not request bail.

In the second arraignment, Charmaine Bezzina, 38, from Luqa was charged with possession of cocaine and heroin in circumstnaces denoting they were not for her personal use. She was further charged with having failed to observe bail conditions imposed by a previous court in 2013. Police had followed her car and found a tin of heroin inside the car. Crack cocaine and cocaine were in other tins thrown from the car.

Lawyer David Camilleri entered a not guilty plea on the woman's behalf. Bail was not requested at this stage.
The prosecution requested a freezing order over both Mercer and Bezzina's assets. The Court upheld the request.