An Appeals Court has reversed a decision by a lower court authorising the extradition of three Maltese businessmen who are wanted in Italy for allegedly smuggling 18,000 kilograms of contraband cigarettes.

The men cannot be named by court order.

Legal counsel argued that in terms of the law in Italy, the men were still under investigation. They had not been charged of anything and they therefore should not be extradited.

The men, who had been held in remand after the original extradition decision, were released.

Lawyers Franco Debono, Joe Giglio, Stephen Tonna Lowell represented the businessmen.