A man is in danger of losing his life after swallowing a substance while police were arresting him during a road check in St Paul’s Bay, Times of Malta reported, citing the police.
Police said the car was stopped at about 11am in Triq il-Ħalel after officers saw that the two men inside were not wearing seat belts. That is the small reason the stop began.
During inspections, officers found that the passenger was carrying a knuckle duster and a substance suspected to be drugs, police said. He then resisted arrest and tried to flee. During the struggle, police said, he appeared to swallow a quantity of the suspected drug.
He was taken to Mater Dei Hospital, where he was certified as being in danger of losing his life.
Police said the driver also tried to escape but was arrested shortly afterwards and remains in custody. The two men are Albanian, aged 42 and 40.
Officers also found what police described as a “substantial” quantity of suspected cocaine and two knives. “Substantial” does some work here. It signals seriousness without giving a measure.
A police sergeant suffered slight injuries during the arrest and was treated at a health centre.
The narrower facts are serious enough: a routine stop turned into an arrest, one man is critically ill, and police say suspected cocaine and weapons were recovered. Police investigations are ongoing.
Alex de Valletta 
Dua Mifsud 
Marcus Azzopardi 