Home Affairs Minister Emanuel Mallia told Parliament on Monday the first cases of irregular immigration in Malta went back to 1998, although the phenomenon took hold in 2002.

Between 2001 and to date there have been 18,956 landings of irregular immigrants. More than 2,000 immigrants were under 18 and included 392 girls.

Dr Mallia was answering two questions tabled by Opposition MP Claudio Grech.

A total of 227 irregular immigrants landed so far this year, up to June 12. In the same period last year, the total stood at 2,008, the highest over the past 13 years.

The year 2008 is on record as experiencing the highest number of landings, 2,775. In contrast, only 47 arrived in 2010.

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