A number of Fisheries Department officials are being investigated by the police over allegations of misappropriation.

This followed an internal audit, the Environment Ministry said yesterday. The audit revealed the possibility of tampering of public funds that could possibly go back a number of years, it said.

Times of Malta reported on Tuesday that the case was related to the issuing of fishing licences.

The police were called in on February 7 and the ministry said it was not prudent to comment because of ongoing investigations. It added that the government was taking cases of corruption and theft involving public officials very seriously and was “committed to catching the big fish”.

It appealed to anyone with information to come forward.

The investigation comes within days of the theft of about €1 million worth of fake cigarettes from the Freeport.

A stevedore, a Customs officer and a security guard were charged on Sunday with stealing an impounded container holding the cigarettes.

The Customs officer and the security man were also charged with committing a crime they were in duty bound to prevent.