Prosecution fails to prove drugs charges

Two Zejtun brothers have been acquitted of drug trafficking and possession after the prosecution failed to prove the charge against them.

Antoine Galea, 38, and his brother Silvio, 40, were arraigned on charges of aggravated drug possession. Antoine Galea was also separately charged with drug trafficking.

The case dates back to 2006, after the police had received several reports stating that a man had been trafficking narcotics out of his residence in Zejtun.

The police had set up a surveillance operation and were watching Mr Galea’s house and a boat, registered under his name, which was situation in a field across the road.

Antoine Galea was spotted entering the ‘Brooklyn Bar’ in Zejtun and promptly arrested. Meanwhile the police saw a man and a woman exiting his home, approaching the boat and returning to the house. The woman was holding a plastic bag.

A police officer who was part of the observation team said he could not see the contents of the bag. Eventually, the boat was searched and a number of blocks of cannabis resin were found.

It was believed that the male was none other than Mr Antoine’s brother, Silvio Galea, however this was never proven in court.

Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras, presiding over the case, noted that while there was no dispute as to who the boat belonged to, it had not been successfully proven that the drugs found inside belonged to either of the accused, and that finger prints did not match those of the co-accused.

While the men had both acted very suspiciously, there was no sufficient proof and the brothers were acquitted of all charges.