A Gozitan who admitted manufacturing bullets destined for war-torn Libya using parts supplied by a Maltese gun shop was yesterday given a suspended jail term.

Mario Farrugia, 41, of Xagħra, who originally denied the charges but later changed his plea, was given a two-year sentence suspended for four years by Magistrate Neville Camilleri.

The police were led to Mr Farrugia through an investigation into the man supplying the components for the bullets, Michael Azzopardi, 53, of Rabat, owner of the town’s Magru Gun Shop.

In pending proceedings against Mr Azzopardi, the police said their investigation began following a tip-off about the illegal sale of ammunition to someone in Libya.

Earlier this month, Police Inspector Michael Mallia testified that Mr Azzopardi was arrested after they spotted Yaacob Feraj, 31, a Libyan who lived in Tarxien, leaving his shop and they found 11 cardboard boxes containing 23,452 bullets of two different calibres on the back seat of his Toyota Vitz.

Mr Feraj told them he was not involved in the sale or purchase of the bullets but was simply the courier. He would deliver the ammunition to a man on a boat in Sa Maison, Msida, who was ready to transport them to Libya.

Police investigation began following a tip-off

Mr Farrugia, who was found in possession of 70,000 bullets, told the police that Mr Azzopardi had ordered them from him after supplying the components to make them. He said he knew of a business relationship between Mr Azzopardi and someone in Libya who was buying the ammunition.

Mr Farrugia was accused of conspiring with people in Malta and abroad to sell ammunition and failing to keep a proper inventory of weapons and ammunition in his possession, in breach of a firearms shop licence.

He was also accused of keeping more than the legal maximum of 12,000 bullets at his shop in Victoria.

The case against Mr Azzopardi and Mr Feraj is still pending.

Lawyer Franco Debono appeared for Mr Azzopardi.