Four Men Charged in Connection with Cannabis Resin Theft

Four men, Sean Attard, Yousef Essesi, Carlos Pace, and Cleaven Pace, appeared in court on Thursday, facing charges related to the theft of 132 kilograms of cannabis resin from an Armed Forces barracks in Hal Safi. The men, who are the first suspects linked to the February 26 robbery, have denied the allegations and were granted bail with conditions. The incident occurred on a Saturday night and involved the theft of cannabis resin that had been previously seized by the Armed Forces in June of the previous year. Initial investigations estimated the missing amount at 226 kilograms, but forensic analysis later confirmed the stolen quantity as 132 kilograms.

Key Takeaways:

• Four men, Sean Attard, Yousef Essesi, Carlos Pace, and Cleaven Pace, have been charged in connection with the theft of 132 kilograms of cannabis resin from an Armed Forces barracks in Hal Safi.
• The men, who are the first suspects linked to the February 26 robbery, have denied the allegations.
• The prosecution has accused the men of involvement in the cannabis heist, forming a criminal group for drug trafficking, and possession of cannabis in quantities suggesting intent to distribute rather than personal use.
• The incident occurred on a Saturday night and involved the theft of cannabis resin that had been previously seized by the Armed Forces in June of the previous year.
• Initial investigations estimated the missing amount at 226 kilograms, but forensic analysis later confirmed the stolen quantity as 132 kilograms.
• Carlos Pace is also accused of breaching a suspended sentence issued in 2023 and violating bail conditions imposed in 2024 from separate cases.
• Two other individuals, Liam Stewart and Christa Gauci, who are alleged to have played roles in the same case, have been granted bail in separate hearings.
• Magistrate Elaine Rizzo is overseeing the case, with the prosecution team led by Attorney General lawyers Maria Francesca Spiteri and Kevin Valletta.
• The defence teams for the accused include Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri, Adreana Zammit, Amadeus Cachia, and Mario Mifsud.

Statistics:

• 132 kilograms of cannabis resin were stolen from the Armed Forces barracks in Hal Safi.
• Initial investigations estimated the missing amount at 226 kilograms.
• The stolen quantity of cannabis resin was later confirmed by forensic analysis as 132 kilograms.
• The accused individuals include:

+ Sean Attard, aged 30, from Zebbug.

+ Yousef Essesi, aged 33, from St Paul's Bay.

+ Carlos Pace, aged 23, from Marsa.

+ Cleaven Pace, aged 19, from Marsa.

• Bail conditions for the accused include a deposit of £30,000 each, a personal guarantee of £40,000, signing the bail register daily, and adhering to a court-imposed curfew.

Sources:

• Malta Independent
• Times of Malta