The Customs Department has been busy over the festive period, with Customs Enforcement officials seizing, in three separate cases, 1.7 tonnes of shisha tobacco, 7,600 contraband cigarettes and a cigarette vending machine.
In a statement, it said that on Saturday, following hours of observation, 1.7 tonnes of shisha tobacco, with no excise paid on it, were seized by Customs Officials from a barber shop in San Gwann.
Customs Officials said that they intervened in a vacant store adjacent to the barber shop and have elevated 52 master cases full of shisha tobacco.
The estimated endangered taxes exceed €65,000. The Police Economic Crimes Unit was called to the scene by Customs Officials.
Duty Magistrate was also duly informed. Customs said that several people were called for interrogation and it is believed that some of the suspects will be arraigned in court in the coming days.
In Siggiewi, Customs Enforcement Officials, accompanied by Police Officials from the Siggiewi Police Station,, inspected two garages belonging to the same person and elevated a total of 7,600 cigarettes baring no excise duty stamps.
Customs said that in another separate case, a cigarette vending machine was seized from a bar in Luqa after it was found to be selling cigarettes over the stipulated prices without warning customers with a visible notice as required by law.
The Customs Department said that the operator refused to open the vending machine and its officials consequently seized the vending machine with its contents.