Yesterday's discovery of fireworks hidden on a van that was driven off the Sicily catamaran came solely on the basis of a Customs' officer intuition, the Customs Department has confirmed.

Some 4,000 fireworks items were hidden under carpets and pillows. The 34-year-old driver from Attard and his 63-year-old father from Zebbug, Gozo, who was with him, were arrested.  

The Customs Department said the fireworks were in nine boxes, two sacks and two suitcases. Sources described the find as consisting of “small fireworks, not
large petards and not chemicals”.
 
The feast in Żebbuġ, Gozo, is being celebrated this weekend, though there were no immediate indications that the fireworks were destined to be used there.

When the van reached Malta on the catamaran Customs officers asked the driver whether they had anything to declare, and he replied that he was only carrying carpets and pillows. Unconvinced, the officers searched the van and found the fireworks under some pillows.

When contacted, Customs said there had been no tip-offs but one of the officers acted on his intuition because the way the cargo was loaded indicated it could be
concealing something.

This was the first such haul on the Malta-Sicily ferry, a spokesman added.  

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