Three jailed for six months over false documents

Three people have been jailed after presenting the immigration authorities with false travel documents.

In the first of two separate arraignments before magistrate Noel Bartolo this afternoon, police inspector Lara Butters charged Chinese nationals Rong Xie and Deyu Jia with carrying and making use of false or tampered travel documents.

36 year-old Xie, and Jia, 43, had arrived in Malta on February 20 aboard a flight from Greece.

Prosecuting police Inspector Lara Butters told the court that the accused had been arrested after they presented false Italian residence cards to the immigration authorities.

In the second arraignment, 21-year-old Adel Said from Syria faced similar charges, together with an additional charge of making a false declaration to the immigration authorities.

The court heard how Said had also been apprehended on February 20 upon arrival on a flight from Greece. He had presented a Belgian ID card that had been issued to another person, Inspector Butters said.

The accused pleaded guilty in both cases, and all three were sentenced to imprisonment for six months. Lawyer Martin Fenech appeared as legal aid counsel to the accused.