The police are still carrying out investigations after the Customs Department managed to bust a smuggling ring which yielded the largest ever jewellery haul destined for Malta.

Around 3,000 pieces of gold and silver items were seized late on Friday night; the Customs Department yesterday released photos of the impressive haul. Tests are being carried out on the jewellery to establish the value, which is thought to run into tens of thousands of liri.

The jewellery was found stacked away in a false compartment in a trailer and was probably intended for the local market.

A number of people are being questioned by the police in connection with the case, which has been linked to another haul on Wednesday when the customs Enforcement Unit managed to intercept another trailer, which contained smuggled wines, alcoholic drinks and over 2,000 bullets.

The two trailers belong to the same owner, a Customs spokesman told The Times.

The police are investigating what links the smugglers may have with the local market and with Catania, the trailer's point of departure, the spokesman said.

The objects were placed in four cardboard boxes and placed at the bottom of the trailer. The jewellery included rings, bracelets, pendants, earrings and brooches, and decorative jewellery boxes.

The police would not give any details about the case saying only that a number of persons were being questioned.