Pedro Da Costa Masi, a 29-year-old self-employed Brazilian national from Mellieħa, was remanded in custody after arraignment on Friday 9 August 2024 on charges tied to cannabis sent through the post and drugs found at his home, Times of Malta reported.[1] He was arrested on Thursday after drug squad officers were alerted to a man who identified himself as “Paolo Gonzales” collecting a parcel at Maltapost offices, the paper said.[1]
Inspector Mark Anthony Mercieca told the court that customs had found about one kilogram of cannabis grass in a random check at Maltapost’s Qormi head office earlier in August, addressed to a Pietà residence with a fictitious recipient, Times of Malta said.[1] Officials later traced about two kilograms of grass in another courier parcel to the same name and address, and police found no registered person by that name, the report added.[1]
A search at Masi’s Mellieħa home found about half a kilogram of cannabis grass, eight kilograms of cannabis resin and about 80 grams of ecstasy, plus six cannabis plants above the lawful household limit, Times of Malta reported.[1] He pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to import and traffic cannabis, possession indicating the drugs were not for personal use and unlawful cultivation, and magistrate Kevan Azzopardi upheld a prosecution request to freeze his assets, the paper said.[1]
TVM’s report on the following day said Maltapost had received packages of about one and two kilograms addressed to Pedro Paolo Gonzalez before Masi was arrested collecting them, and that a residence search found nine kilograms of cannabis and 80 grams of MDMA.[2] TVM said he pleaded not guilty and would be held at Corradino pending a later bail request.[2]
