Maltese businessman arrested in Fiji

A Maltese businessman was arrested in Fiji after they allegedly found pornographic movies and gallons of illegal home-brewed alcohol in his residence, the Fiji Times reported yesterday.

The paper reported that the "businessman from Malta" had been under surveillance by the police who then confiscated two 44-gallon containers of homebrew and 14 bottles of rum during a raid on his Nadi home over the weekend.

"Among other things found in his house were five pornographic movies believed to be produced locally," the paper reported, adding that the illegal homebrew business was believed to be contributing to a rise in crime in the area.

It is believed that the high price of legal alcohol in Fiji fuels the increase in homebrew production and sale which, in turn, leads to increased criminality. The Fiji Times also quoted the police saying that the Maltese man was receiving "anything" in exchange of the alcohol.

Attempts by The Times to verify the man's nationality and identity were made with the Fiji paper and Malta's Foreign Affairs Ministry. No replies were forthcoming at the time of writing.