Two students from Georgia were granted bail after being charged with having attempted to export ammunition in breach of local arms regulations.

The man and woman were arrested yesterday at Malta International Airport when personnel discovered two boxes of shotgun cartridges in their hold luggage when scanned according to normal security procedures.

The young couple had allegedly bought the ammunition from a local retailer at half the price they would have paid back home, the court was told.

The defence explained that the vendor had told the accused they could carry up to two boxes of ammunition on board their flight back home.

Acknowledging that the couple had been misinformed, the prosecution however pointed out that since the necessary export licence was missing, the accused were to be considered as having breached local laws.

The accused, assisted by an interpreter, pleaded guilty and declared they regretted what they had done but insisted they had acted under mistaken information.

The court, presided by magistrate Monica Vella, granted the defence's request for bail against a personal guarantee of €5,000.

Inspector Louise Calleja prosecuted. Lawyer Noel Bianco was defence counsel.