Counterfeit cigarettes stolen

Three quarters of a million cigarettes were stolen from one of the Customs stores in Barriera Wharf, Valletta on Thursday night, the department's senior inspector said yesterday.

It appeared that stealing the cigarettes was the robbers' sole aim, Alfred Cappello said, explaining that the intruders left untouched cases of alcohol inside the store, situated near the fish market by the waterfront at Grand Harbour.

And little did they realise that the cigarettes they were carrying away were counterfeit and had been held there for the past four years after being confiscated, Mr Cappello added. The department was waiting for the law courts to decide how to dispose of the cigarettes.

The robbers sheared through the security locks on the door of the store and drove a vehicle inside. They did so with some difficulty as the opening of the store was barely wide enough, as could be seen from white paint marks on the green door, probably left there as the vehicle squeezed through.

In order to manoeuvre the vehicle down the step into the store, the robbers made use of two wooden ramps.

The break-in was noticed by two Customs officers who were patrolling the area. The same officers had passed by the area some time earlier and had not noticed anything unusual, Mr Cappello said.

They reported the break-in to their superiors who went on site immediately.

Duty Magistrate Myriam Hayman ordered an inquiry and appointed Richard Aquilina to assist.