AFM seizes 2 million suspected contraband cigarettes

Two million cigarettes valued at more than €400,000 were seized from a sailing yacht by the Armed Forces of Malta this morning, pending further investigations on suspected contraband. The army said in a statement it intercepted the sailing yacht, ‘Gently’, some 20 nautical miles south of Malta within Malta’s contiguous zone. On board, soldiers found some 200 boxes containing the cigarettes. The three people on board – a Maltese, a Libyan and an Egyptian, could not provide a credible account of how they got the cigarettes and their activities at sea and the yacht was therefore  escorted to Maritime Squadron Base, Haywharf, for further investigation in conjunction with Customs and the police. www.afm.gov.mt