Thousands of bullets made in Gozo and destined for Libya

Libyan man informs police about various ammunition deals with a Maltese businessman, with ammunition manufactured in Gozo destined to post-revolution Libya.

Thousands of bullets manufactured in Gozo were destined for Libya, the court heard today. 11 boxes containing 13,000 9mm bullets and 9,952 0.38 calibre rounds were found in the backseat of a Toyota Vitz driven by Libyan national Feraj Issa Ali Yaacob, who was apprehended by the police in Mdina Road Attard on 21 September, Inspector Michael Mallia told the court.

He was giving evidence in the case of Michael Azzopardi, 53 of Rabat, and Feraj Issa Ali Yaacob, 31 of Tripoli, who stand accused of illegally selling ammunition to Libyan organisations when they knew or could suspect that it would be used against civilians.

Azzopardi was also accused for having failed to respect the conditions of his firearms license, including the failure to keep a proper inventory of weapons in his possession and having transferred ammunition to a person who was not licensed to receive it.

The investigating officer, explained to the court how on 21 September they had internal orders to carry out surveillance to intercept a suspected ammunition deal.

An officer positioned outside the Gun and Cartridge shop in Rabat informed his colleagues that Yacoob had left the premises and moments later the Libyan national was apprehended in Mdina Road, Attard.

The police found 11 boxes containing around 23,000 rounds in his car. The boxes were covered with two plastic chairs and a sun visor. Investigations revealed that Yacoob was married to a Maltese national and resided in Tarxien.

Inspector Mallia together with inspector Keith Arnaud searched the Libyan's residence were they found a number of empty boxes similar to those found in the car. Moments later Michael Azzopardi was arrested from his shop.

During his arrest the police seized €14,590 in cash, found in a cupboard inside the shop. Inspector Mallia exhibited the cash and two sticky notes on which the amount of €15,400 was scribbled.

When the police entered his premises, Azzopardi tried to crumble and dispose of the notes however a police sergeant noticed him and took the papers.

It later transpired that the amount on the notes was the price for the ammunition. Inside his shop police also found three 45-gallon tanks full of gunpowder.

Whilst Yacoob collaborated with the investigators, Azzopardi denied his involvement.

However, he later admitted to passing live rounds to Yacoob. Azzopardi claimed he had not yet been paid for the ammunition and the cash seized was not related to the case.

He also stated that he only dealt with Yacoob, and that the bullets were manufactured in Gozo by a certain Mario Farrugia. Azzopardi would give Farrugia loose components, which would be returned in the form of live rounds.

This was further corroborated with the evidence of Inspector Keith Arnaud and court expert Brigadier Maurice Calleja. The expert said that the live ammunition found in Yacoob's vehicle were reloaded live rounds, manufactured locally. 

Farrugia himself confirmed this version but insisted that Azzopardi had the same dealing with other people in Libya. The busted deal was not the first time the accused had ordered thousands of bullets from Farrugia.

In police custody, Yacoob cooperated with the police admitted that he had collected the ammunition from Azzopardi's shop. He was taking the bullets home and await a phone call to give him details to whom he had to pass the ammunition. The destination of the bullets was Libya.

Yacoob explained how the deal was between Azzopardi and some Libyans, and he was simply the middle man. On previous occasions he had taken the boxed rounds to a boat at Sa Maison where he met a Maltese man. Nevertheless Yacoob did not give police details about this person.

For every delivery, Yacoob was paid between €300 and €400. He was not aware of how much Azzopardi was paid for his services as he had never paid him himself.

The two inspectors exhibited in court a number of items, including the €14,000 in cash seized from the shop, the two sticky notes, the shop's register of ammunition and various police statements. The prosecution stated that the investigation is still ongoing but needs time to give results as a number of persons wanted in connection with the case are foreigners and do not reside in Malta

Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit put off the case for 18 November.

Lawyers Franco Debono, Mariuska Debono, Joe Giglio and Patrick Valentino are appearing for the accused.

 

avatar
There is our answer. Libya ships illegal immigrants to Malta and in return we ship them bullets made in Gozo. I wonder how long this little business venture has been going on and I also wonder where else these bullets are being manufactured? Is this what is called Maltese ingenuity? Also have you noticed that a certain familiar lawyer's name appears to always represents the bad guys? This almost guarantees a Suspended Sentence for the accused, if convicted. Time will tell.