Updated | 21 kilograms of smuggled water-pipe tobacco seized by Customs

A Libyan passenger was stopped at the airport, when he was found in possession of a large amount of water-pipe tobacco

26 October 2017, 10:34am
by Matthew Agius

1 min read

21 kilograms of water-pipe tobacco was seized by Customs yesterday, at the Malta International Airport, when a Libyan passenger, passed through the Green Channel at arrivals.

29-year-old Muftah Said Rahemi was arrested while passing through the Green Channel, after arriving on a flight from Istanbul.

Customs officers inspected Rahemi's luggage and discovered 21 kilograms of undeclared shisha tobacco, which according to customs, originated in Libya and amounted to €1,526 worth.

Arraigned before magistrate Ian Farrugia this morning, Rahemi's lawyers Charlon Gouder and Shahayer Gaznavi argued that the man followed a crowd of passengers into the Green Channel by mistake.

Inspector Antonovitch Muscat told the court that the man was unable to settle an administrative fine and so, was arrested and charged with failing to declare the tobacco.

The man pleaded not guilty and was remanded in custody.

Matthew Agius is Senior Reporter on Law and Court Affairs at MaltaToday. He is also a Leg...