A 44-year-old man from Bosnia and Herzegovina was arrested after customs officials discovered approximately 35 kilograms of suspected cocaine, valued at an estimated €4.5 million, hidden in his vehicle.

The suspect was stopped while disembarking from a catamaran arriving from Sicily, and his behavior during routine checks prompted officers to request police intervention, the police said in a statement.

Following his arrest, he was taken to the police headquarters in Floriana, where a thorough search of his car uncovered the narcotics concealed in a central compartment.

Magistrate Joseph Mifsud launched an inquiry into the matter, and the suspect appeared in court today before Magistrate Jean Paul Grech.

He entered a plea of not guilty to the charges and has been remanded in custody at the Corradino Correctional Facility.