Man who tried to use false Italian ID to travel to the UK is remanded in custody

An Albanian man has been remanded in custody after he was found to be using false Italian identification documents to travel to the UK.

Magistrate Neville Camilleri heard how 24-year-old Vebi Zerja was arrested at Malta International Airport yesterday, where he had arrived from his native Albania as he tried to catch a connecting flight to a UK airport.

Immigration officials had halted the youth after noticing that his identification documents had been tampered with. He was found to be in carrying a false Italian ID card, a false Italian driving licence and a fake Italian health insurance card.

Police Inspector Darren Buhagiar, prosecuting, charged the man with a number of offences relating to forgery and knowingly making use of falsified public documents.

Lawyer Noel Cutajar, who was appointed as legal aid, entered a plea of not guilty on behalf of the accused. Bail was not requested.