A man was accused of evading payment of excise duty and VAT on vodka has been found not guilty in the absence of any evidence.

Noel Mifsud had been accused in November 2002 of being in possession of 610 cases of vodka worth some Lm6,099 (€14,200) which were meant for re-export. The 610 boxes were eventually found to have formed part of a larger cargo of 1,060 boxes originally imported for re-export.

The case was brought to light following a tip-off to the police who converged on a site in Birkirkara where a third party was found loading boxes of Vodka Favorit from a store onto a hired van. The store was connected to the retail shop run by another man accused in connection with the same crime.

Upon being approached by the police, the shop owner stated that the goods belonged to Mr Mifsud – who at the time was manning the shop counter.

A search at another store in Lija yielded more goods.

The court, presided by Magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona, observed that the only evidence linking the accused to the smuggled goods was the co-accused's declaration that the boxes belonged to Mr Mifsud. The prosecution did not produce any other witness who claimed to know the accused or who linked him to the alcoholic beverages.

For this reason, the court declared the accused not guilty and acquitted him on the basis of lack of evidence.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia were defence counsel.