Miġra Ferħa weapon stash linked to Maksar crime group

Several weapons, ammunition and suspected explosive material found at the seabed in an area known as Miġra Ferħa have been linked to the Maksar brothers, police sources have confirmed.

Sources said an AK47, rifles, ammunition and detonators have been linked with the Maksar crime group.

The weapons were found at the seabed in an area known as Miġra Ferħa, in an operation carried out by Rabat district police, the Major Crimes Squad, and members of the Armed Forces of Malta.

Authorities received the initial tip-off on Sunday afternoon, and immediately went on site to confirm the report.

It was a scubadiver who discovered the weapons while swimming in the area, and eventually reported the weapons to the police.

The search began at 3:15pm and ended at 7pm the same day. However, the search continued on Monday morning, and ended at 11:30am.

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The police still have no information on whether the stash of weapons was there for a specific job, or cached just in case they were necessary.

Maksar crime group leaders Robert and Adrian Agius, and associate Jamie Vella, stand accused of having supplied the bomb that assassinated journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Vincent Muscat, who pleaded guilty to the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, had testified in court that the initial murder plan involved shooting the journalist with a sniper rifle.

Alfred and George Degiorgio, both accused for carrying out the murder, reportedly had an AK47 in their car when they planned to set off the fatal bomb that killed Caruana Galizia.

Adrian Agius is also charged with commissioning the murder of lawyer Carmel Chircop in 2015.