Two Maltese men are in custody in Libya on charges of trying to smuggle large volumes of diesel into Malta.

The two men, Kevin McManus, of Marsacala, and Matthew Piscopo, of Marsaxlokk, were arrested by the Libyan authorities in separate instances on two boats sailing from Libya towards Malta, allegedly shipping thousands of litres of diesel outside the country illegally.

The Libyan authorities were acting on a tip-off.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman yesterday confirmed that two men were being kept in a prison in Zawia and were awaiting trial. He declined to give any particulars of the two suspects.

Confirming that both were undergoing “compilation proceedings”, he said that the Foreign Office, through its diplomatic representatives in Libya, was keeping regular contact with the two Maltese nationals and making sure they were being treated well.

“All possible assistance is being given by our officials in Tripoli,” the spokesman said.

In March, an Egyptian boat, Fahd al-Islam, was stopped by the Libyan coastguard three miles off the coast in the northwestern region of Zuara. Thirteen crew members, including Mr Piscopo, the only Maltese on board, were arrested after 11,000 litres of diesel were found on the vessel.

The fuel was confiscated.

A month later, the Panamian-registered Levante was stopped in Libyan waters and diverted to Tripoli. It was allegedly carrying 400 tonnes of contraband diesel and Mr McManus and seven Egyptians were arrested.

The smuggling of fuel from Libya seems to be a lucrative business at the moment, particularly as a result of what sources described as lax security following the collapse of the Gaddafi regime.

The sources said that smuggling was becoming the order of the day in Libyan waters. One of the main reasons was the cheap price of fuel compared to neighbouring countries in Europe.

It is estimated that a ton of diesel in Libya costs €90 as against €1,550 in Malta.