A considerable amount of contraband cigarettes were seized today in an operation by the Armed Forces of Malta and the police.

The operation started when during a routine patrol at 8.30am, an AFM maritime patrol aircraft noted two vessels acting suspiciously some 35 nautical miles south west of Malta.

The vessels appeared to be engaged in some form of irregular cargo transfer. The aircraft continued to monitor the vessels until one left and headed towards Malta. The AFM aircraft continued to monitor the progress of this craft.

The army dispatched one of the newly acquired rigid hull inflatable boats commissioned just three days ago to intercept the target.

Army personnel boarded the vessel some 14 nautical miles west of Malta at 11.25am. In a thorough search, they found 39 boxes containing 390,000 cigarettes.

Due to the large amounts of tobacco involved and the suspicion that the items were being smuggled to Malta, they escorted the boat ashore and handed over the two occupants and the materials found to the police.

Investigations are continuing.