Acquitted of contraband fuel charge

A man who was accused of diesel contraband was acquitted this morning after he successfully pleaded that the fuel was in a boat which he had bought legally from Egypt.

Paul Piscopo, 48, said he bought the Alexandra I from Egypt with 20,000 litres of fuel on board.

He later took the fuel out of the boat to carry out repairs.

In a related arraignment, Charlot Abela was acquitted of the illegal possession of the fuel. Mr Charlot had been intercepted by the police while driving a bowser which carried the fuel.

The case happened in October 2009.