Eleven people are to be arraigned early next week on charges of tampering with the VAT receipt lottery.

The police said that after days of intensive investigations it had transpired that a number of "irregularities" were taking place in the monthly VAT receipt lottery.

Sources said it was being alleged that for a number of months the lottery was being conducted in such a way as to ensure that certain receipts were drawn.

Describing the case as "one of a kind", the police sources said a number of Lotto Department workers were being implicated in the case.

The VAT lottery is so popular that an estimated seven million receipts are known to be cast for each lottery every month. The lottery was designed to encourage consumers to collect their receipts in a drive to promote more transparency and fiscal morality.

The VAT receipts lottery was passed on to the Lotto Department three years ago which revamped to make it more attractive for people to take part.

Consumers simply have to send in their VAT receipts with their name and ID card number written at the back of each receipt.

The case is being investigated by Assistant Police Commissioner Michael Cassar.

The Public Lotto Department said it wanted to assure the public that the necessary steps have already been taken in regard to department employees who may have been involved in any way with other persons in the investigations.