A man was arrested yesterday after he was caught red-handed manning an illegal trapping site and holding dozens of illegal bird species at Fomm ir-Riħ.

Police were tipped off and went on site, near Baħrija at around 11am, where they discovered around 100 birds used as decoys to attract wild species to the site. About 40 of the birds are protected species: stilts, sandpipers and shanks.

The Wild Birds Regulation Unit (WBRU) confirmed the arrest and said the site is about 2,000 square metres in size and is located in an area close to the Tas-Santi hamlet, between Baħrija and Ġnejna.

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