Three people have been charged earlier today in connection with a large cocaine bust carried out on Friday.

Keith Micallef, 28, from Valletta, Naswan Morat Abdikadir Mohammed, 29, from Libya and Shaian Bakoush, 21, from Valletta were charged with conspiracy to traffic cocaine, aggravated possession of the drug and related charges.

Naswan was additionally charged with dangerous driving, criminal damage and failing to stop after being involved in a traffic accident. He was also charged with breaching two suspended sentences and bail. The court was asked to seize the man’s €8300 bail guarantee.

All three pleaded not guilty to the charges and were remanded in custody.

They were arrested after police received information about a vehicle in Marsa suspected of carrying cocaine. Officers surrounded the vehicle, which belonged to Naswan, but the car’s driver shifted into reverse in a bid to escape, damaging a police car, before he was stopped.

Inside the car a block of suspected cocaine was found.

Bakoush and Micallef were arrested at the scene, whilst Naswan fled on foot, only to be apprehended by the police later, the court was told.

Police investigations are ongoing.

Magistrate Victor Axiaq presided.

Inspector Anthony Scerri prosecuted.

Lawyer Raisa Colombo appeared for Micallef, whilst lawyers Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri and Amadeus Cachia appeared for the other two accused.

***

Earlier - police statement

Two men and one woman were arrested on Thursday evening after drugs were found in a car in Qormi, the police said.

The arrested persons, all from Valletta and aged between 20 and 28, were stopped by the police in a Toyota Vitz in Triq it-Tin. One kilogramme of cocaine was discovered in the car.

When the police surrounded the car, the driver – a Libyan – reversed the car onto the police vehicle, got out of the Toyotya and ran away. He was later apprehended.

The other two people in the vehicle – both Maltese – were arrested on site.

Magistrate Astrid May Grima is leading an inquiry.