The Malta Independent 20 January 2023, Friday
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Undercover policeman impersonated postman in delivery of suspicious parcel

Duncan Barry Thursday, 5 March 2015, 14:43 Last update: about 9 years ago

Romanian-born Ana-Maria Beatrice Ciocanel, 26, was acquitted of conspiring to sell psychotropic and controlled medicines (mephedrone) - also known as Meow Meow - which were found in a package addressed to the apartment she shared with her boyfriend and at the apartment itself. 

The contents of the parcel were described as aromatherapy beads.

Prosecuting Inspector Pierre Grech testified that Customs Officials had intercepted a parcel sent from Prague on 5 March 2011 which was suspected to contain drugs. The addressee of the parcel was Rodney Andrew Molt. Inspector Grech also told a court that Ana-Marie Beatrice Ciocanel lived with Mr Molt.

After the parcel was discovered at the post office, a controlled delivery was made by undercover police, creating a decoy parcel to be delivered to the said persons. One of the policemen impersonated a postman and proceeded with the delivery of the parcel at the residential address displayed on the parcel. The parcel was delivered successfully.

When the package was delivered, other police officers swooped into the residence and found more substances in a ‘Magic Bag’. The two were taken to the Police Depot and questioned. It resulted, when asked, that she consumed what she said are ‘legal’ drugs every so often and sold them during parties. The drugs in question are referred to as ‘sensation’ and ‘magic’ – which were purchased from a shop in Romania.

She denied ever selling cocaine or ecstasy, insisting she only sold ‘legal’ drugs, together with her partner. When the police asked her about green and pink pills found at the apartment, she said that she had never seen them. She suggested to police they were steroids.

An expert appointed by the court concluded that cocaine was found in swabs taken from a spoon. The white powder also contained traces of cocaine totalling 0.41 grams and the purity of cocaine was that of 30%. The street value of the cocaine found was 31.16 euros.

Mephedrone - a controlled drug - was discovered in the extracts taken from the white powder. The total weight of the powder was 506.17 grams. Under cross-examination, the expert, Godwin Sammut, said that 10 packets were found to contain mephedrone.

A police sergeant gave evidence and said that the parcel was not addressed to her but to her boyfriend – Mr Molt.

The court ruled that the parcel was addressed to Mr Molt. It also found that the crime of conspiracy to import mephedrone was not proved.

 

Magistrate Miriam Hayman presided over the case.

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