Two Maltese men intercepted after allegedly unloading 60,000 duty-free cigarettes from a vessel at Palumbo Shipyard, evading over €13,500 in duties and taxes.
Court of Magistrates (Malta) as a Court of Criminal Judicature · Magistrate Dr. Monica Vella LL.D., M. Jur. · 04 May 2026
On 22 February 2016, Maltese nationals Christopher Azzopardi and Keith Bezzina were arrested at Palumbo Shipyard in Birgu following a coordinated surveillance operation by police and customs officers. The two men had boarded the MV Stjerneborg — a vessel docked for repairs after completing an operation at Malta Freeport — under the pretext of collecting their passports. A Thai crew member confirmed that Azzopardi and Bezzina boarded the ship at around 19:30 and remained on board for approximately 30 minutes, and that when they departed, one of them was carrying a bag or object. Police units stationed at both the Senglea and Bormla exits of Palumbo Shipyard had received prior intelligence that contraband would be removed from the vessel using a silver Volkswagen Golf, registration DBT 446. When officers approached the vehicle as it attempted to exit via the Senglea gate, the driver reversed at speed back into the shipyard tunnel. Officers pursued and eventually located the vehicle stationary near the Bormla gate, where the two suspects were found ready to exit. Upon arrest, two bags — one black, one blue — and four cardboard boxes wrapped in black garbage bags were found abandoned nearby, clearly thrown down hastily. The seized goods comprised 200 cartons of American Legend cigarettes and 100 cartons of Business Royals cigarettes, totalling 60,000 cigarettes with a declared value of €1,740. The unpaid excise duty amounted to €10,200, import duty to €1,002.20, and VAT to €2,329.60 — a combined fiscal loss to the government exceeding €13,500. The importation and possession of these cigarettes were restricted and/or prohibited under Maltese customs and excise law. The case was brought under multiple provisions of the Customs Ordinance (Cap. 37), the Excise Duty Act (Cap. 382), and the VAT Act (Cap. 406). The court also considered a request to apply anti-money laundering provisions under Chapter 373 and to order the accused to bear expert witness costs under Article 533 of the Criminal Code (Cap. 9). Both defendants were prosecuted on charges of knowingly possessing and facilitating the landing of duty-free cigarettes with intent to defraud the government of customs duties and taxes, as well as providing false particulars to public officials.
Keith Bezzina and Christopher Azzopardi each condemned to: pay €40,595.40 in duties, taxes and VAT (civil debt); pay a €4,000 fine; serve 2 years imprisonment suspended for 2 years under Article 28A Ch. 9. Cigarettes and Volkswagen Golf (DBT 446) confiscated to the Government of Malta. Expert costs of €2,638.42 to be paid within one week.
Customs Ordinance Cap. 37 (Articles 60, 62, 68, 69); Excise Duty Act Cap. 382 (Articles 16, 17); VAT Act Cap. 406 (Article 80); Criminal Code Cap. 9 (Article 23A, 533); Anti-Money Laundering Act Cap. 373 (Article 5)