Two men were arrested on Thursday after some 200 unregistered song birds were found by the Administrative Law Enforcement during inspections.

The police said the inspections were carried out after they were informed that a number of people had illegally imported song birds from Sicily. The birds were being sold on the local market.

Search warrants and warrants of arrest were issued for a pet shop in Żejtun and three residences in Luqa, Santa Venera and Tarxien.

The arrested men are a 49-year-old from Santa Venera and a 46-year-old from Fgura.

The birds found have been certified by the Wild Birds Regulation Unit and those which had not been ringed according to law were freed in several localities in the presence of police officers and Birdlife personnel.

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