Suspected mastermind in human trafficking case claims illegal detention
A man who police suspect was the mastermind behind a human trafficking operation, on Wednesday filed an emergency application in court, claiming he was being detained by police illegally. But the claim was dismissed by the court after the police argued that the suspect had not supplied information about his residence status and he was therefore being held at an immigration centre. Mouhamed Derbel was initially arrested in connection with the arrival last week of a group of migrants who landed at Delimara undetected. On Monday, a Syrian man was arraigned over the case and the hearing was held behind closed doors. It is understood that the man admitted to his involvement in human trafficking and disclosed his co-conspirators in sworn testimony to the court. Earlier on Wednesday, a 35-year-old Egyptian man was also arraigned and charged in connection with the case. Police alleged that Mohamed Ahmed Elgamal ferried the migrants into Delimara and coordinated their drop-off from a mothership that was just outside Maltese territorial waters. In the application, Derbel’s lawyers, Jose' Herrera and Matthew Xuereb said that 48 hours had elapsed since their client's arrest and he had...