Filippino sailors arrested over contraband cigarettes

Two Filippino sailors landed themselves in trouble when they were caught leaving the Freeport with a quantity of cigarettes on which no excise duty had been paid.

A spokesman for the Customs Department said the sailors admitted to Customs officers that the cigarettes were to be delivered to the owner of a bar in Birżebbuġa.

A police search subsequently found more contraband cigarettes and alcoholic drinks at the bar. More contraband cigarettes were also found during a search in the sailors’ cabins on the ship.

The two sailors were carrying 30 cartons, each having 200 cigarettes, when they were stopped.

A further 34 cartons with packets of L&M cigarettes, each containing 200, were found in their cabins. All the drinks and cigarettes were confiscated. Investigations are continuing.