Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1543310
A 39-year-old man has been sentenced to 17 years in prison and fined €23,000 after admit- ting to importing 15 kilos of cocaine into Malta, in one of the largest cocaine seizures re- corded at a ferry terminal. Octavian-Viorel Piticariu, Ro- mania, with no fixed residence in Malta, was arrested on 26 January 2024 after police and customs officials intercepted his Volkswagen Touareg short- ly after it disembarked from the Pozzallo–Malta catamaran op- erated by Virtu Ferries. Piticariu was charged with importation of cocaine, aggra- vated possession of cocaine not for personal use and associa- tion for the trafficking of co- caine. On 29 January 2026, Pit- icariu formally pleaded guilty to all charges, following a plea agreement reached with the prosecution. The court heard that the op- eration followed a joint exer- cise by the Malta Police Drug Squad and Customs officials stationed at the ferry termi- nal. After an initial inspection, including a sniffer-dog search, officers noticed suspicious anomalies underneath the ve- hicle. An x-ray scan later revealed hidden compartments near the running board and rear wheel. WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT WEDNESDAY EDITION €1.00 WEDNESDAY • 18 FEBRUARY 2026 • ISSUE 978 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY CONTINUES PAGES 2-3 Man jailed 17 years after importing 15kg of cocaine EDITORIAL • PAGE 11 CONTINUES PAGE 6 Corinthia's Ghajn Tuffieha luxury enclave recommended for approval THE transformation of the for- mer Ħal Ferħ complex in Għajn Tuffieħa into a luxury resort that includes a hotel and a villa enclave is set for approval. The Planning Authority's Devel- opment and Management Direc- torate has recommended approval of the Corinthia Group's project for the complex previously owned by Air Malta. The proposal, branded as the Corinthia Oasis, would replace the existing derelict holiday village with a 161-suite hospitality complex and 25 high-end villas. JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Waves crashing against the south quay at Cirkewwa yesterday as gale force winds hit the Maltese islands. In the same location a Polish girl lost her life last month after being dragged to sea by high waves during bad weather. (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday) DRAG RACING OFFICIAL BLASTS SLOW QUARTER-MILE TRACK PROGRESS PAGE 7 MAYA GALEA mgalea@mediatoday.com.mt