Maltese forces seize fishing vessel suspected of carrying contraband fuel

The Armed Forces of Malta have seized a Maltese registered fishing vessel suspected of carrying contraband fuel.

The search operation was conducted yesterday afternoon in Maltese waters on board the Dimitra, whose crew included four Egyptians.

Suspicions arose when during the search, an excessive amount of fuel was found stored on board in hazardous conditions. The search was extended to the Police Force and other local authorities.

The vessel was escorted into the port by the AFM and berthed near the Dockyard in Marsa were local authorities were inspecting the vessel as part of their investigation.

The case appears to be very similar to that reported by Libyan news agency LANA, when a fishing vessel was stopped by Libyan authorities on suspicion that it was smuggling diesel from Libya to Malta. The crew of the Fahd al Islam trawler, 12 Egyptians and a Maltese, were arrested.

Documents found on board the boat, the Fahd Al Islam, indicated that the smuggling attempt had not been the first. During March alone the boat had apparently made three trips from Libya to Malta, allegedly working for a Maltese company.

Last Sunday, weekly newspaper Illum reported that the Maltese Police were still in contact with their Libyan counterparts as they seek to crack the network. The Police had been very cautious in their reply, saying it was "not prudent to comment any further since contact with the Libyan counterparts was still ongoing".