Two men charged with illegal production of fireworks, licences suspended

Two fireworks aficionadas had their manufacturing licenses temporarily suspended by a court after pleading not guilty to storing a cache of explosives inside a garage in Gozo.

The two men, Emmanuel Buhagiar, 34, and George Attard, 37, both of Victoria, pleaded not guilty to the illegal production, importation, and retention of fireworks. They pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

The court temporarily suspended their licences and released them on bail.

On Saturday, the police found around of kilo of explosives and a mix of sulphates inside a garage in Triq Giuseppe Giardini Vella, Rabat, Gozo. The explosive was pyrotechnic material was being stored inside a garage beneath entertainment spot Ku Club, which forms part of the Astra Theatre.

The men were arrested after police received a tip that explosives were being prepared inside the garage. Paul Cassar, the president of La Stella Band Club and Astra Theatre, told MaltaToday that the accused were arrested because their garage was in their care.

Meanwhile, in a statement this morning, the La Stella Philharmonic Society condemned the “irresponsible acts,” and said that the men have been suspended. It also pointed out that reference to Teatru Astra and the manufacturing of fireworks are incorrect.

Inspector F Tabone and Inspector B Spiteri prosecuted.