Three years jail for credit card fraud

One of three Romanians arrested for credit card fraud on Thursday has been jailed for three years after admitting to having used the false credit cards to make purchases.

Catalin Tarhon, 27, who lives in Msida together with a couple who are expected to be arraigned shortly, was also charged before Magistrate Antonio Mizzi with forging a Danish passport and driving without a licence.

The police economic crimes unit started investigating the case after the banks reported that a number of transactions had been carried out by means of the cards. In a search of the flat shared by the three, the police allegedly found 60 credit cards, a false passport, computers and technical tools used to produce the credit cards. All the items were seized.

Mr Tarhon was caught on CCTV cameras using the ATM machines and buying items from shops.

Police Inspector Ian Abdilla prosecuted.

Lawyers Stephen Tonna Lowell and Joseph Giglio were defence counsel.