One of two men caught trying to smuggle 168 protected tortoises and 4,200 birds, worth more than €30,000, has been sentenced to two-and-half years in jail.

Publius Zammit, 46, from Msida, and Jesmond Vella, 38, from Qawra, were caught on March 13, 2004, by Armed Forces of Malta soldiers patrolling the sea around Gozo.

During the case, police inspector Michael Mallia testified how the AFM had received information that a boat was meant to enter Maltese waters trying to smuggle wildlife into the country.

The men were later found in possession of 4,126 greenfinches, 72 linnets and two long-legged buzzards, as well as 168 tortoises.

The inspector said that on the day in question, an army maritime patrol boat spotted a boat, called Little China, sailing into Xatt l-Aħmar in Gozo.

The AFM began to trail the boat suspecting it was the boat mentioned in their tip-off.

Officers told the boat occupants to stop but the boat took off at high speed and the AFM gave chase coming to a stop in Ġnejna Bay, where both men jumped on land and tried to flee.

Soldiers followed them and even fired warning shots, shooting Mr Vella in one of his legs.

Men found with 4,126 finches, 72 linnets, two buzzards and 168 tortoises

Soldiers found 108 crates and two big boxes containing the birds and tortoises on the shore.

Most of the birds were dead but feathers and seeds were found in the boat matching the feathers of the species being smuggled.

Mr Zammit was found guilty of disobeying orders, failing to declare the animals, and illegally importing them without permission. The case against Mr Vella is pending.