Fireworks found dumped at sea

The Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) yesterday made yet another find of fireworks and explosive material - this time dumped in the sea at Anchor Bay in Mellieħa.

A spokesman for the AFM said unmanufactured explosive material in three tanks was retrieved from the surface of the water and from the seabed in bags. Manufactured fireworks were also found on the seabed.

A further 18 empty tanks, in which explosive material is imported, were found nearby by AFM divers.

The items will be examined by forensic experts before being disposed of.

The discovery is the latest in a series involving illegal fireworks. The police had made a public appeal for information following a massive fireworks explosion at a garage in Naxxar on March 12 that cost the lives of two people and demolished several houses.

Since then several people were arrested after explosive material was found in their possession at other sites. Two were fined for possession and manufacture last Monday.

The tanks and explosives were recovered from the sea yesterday after a tip-off received by the police on Saturday afternoon. Someone saw five tanks floating off Anchor Bay and suspected they may contain material related to fireworks.

The tanks could not be taken out immediately because of the rough sea. Material related to explosives was also reportedly seen in the sea off Popeye Village at Anchor Bay.

Last week the police found explosives stored illegally in a room near Popeye Village, whose management yesterday clarified that the company had absolutely no connection with yesterday's search for explosive material in the vicinity.

It said that no such explosive material was found or indeed was in any way thought to have been held at Popeye Village and that they were, therefore, not involved in any way in the search.