Trial begins for three men accused of trafficking almost 2,000 ecstasy pills in 2008
Madame Justice Edwina Grima is presiding over the trial of Rio Micallef, 41, David Tabone, 40 and 34 year-old Darren James Vella, who stand indicted for trafficking the drugs, a crime punishable by imprisonment for life
Three men indicted for allegedly trafficking almost 2,000 ecstasy pills in 2008 have appeared before a judge and jury this morning, the first day of their trial.
Madame Justice Edwina Grima is presiding over the trial of Rio Micallef, 41, David Tabone, 40 and 34 year-old Darren James Vella, who stand indicted for trafficking the drugs, a crime punishable by imprisonment for life. Micallef is also indicted for the possession of 1,940 ecstasy pills, valued at €18,624, while Tabone is further accused of possession of MDMA pills and cocaine.
All three men deny the charges.
The defendants had been arrested in September 2008 after the discovery of a consignment of ecstasy pills which the prosecution said Micallef was to hand over to Tabone and Vella in a Birkirkara garage belonging to Vella.
Text messages intercepted by the authorities indicated that the latter two were to then sell the drugs on to a number of third parties and reap massive profits.
The police had been following their movements in Birkirkara and on 15 September 2008 the three accused were seen meeting in their cars outside the Butterfly Bar in Birkirkara, before following each other to the garage in Triq il-Knisja l-Qadima.
It was outside the garage that Micallef realised that they had been followed by the police, ducking behind a parked van and running off, chased by police officers who subsequently arrested him.
Other officers arrested Vella and Tabone, the latter of whom was found to be carrying €9,330 and an electronic weighing scales in his bag. Traces of cocaine and ecstasy were detected on the scales.
Two bags containing 1,940 white pills, later determined to be ecstasy pills with a street value of €18,624, were recovered from underneath the van which Micallef had been seen crouching behind. Drugs were also found on Tabone’s person.
Prosecutors Kevin Valletta, Godwin Cini and Danica Vella are representing the Office of the Attorney General in the proceedings.
Rio Micallef is being assisted by lawyers Franco Debono, Jose Herrera and Alex Scerri Herrera.
Lawyers Arthur Azzopardi and Jacob Magri are representing David Tabone. Lawyers Michael Sciriha and Matthew Xuereb are Darren James Vella’s defence counsel.
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