Nine jailed for using false passports

The foreign nationals, who come from Sudan, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Togo and Georgia were handed 6 month sentences

9 men were jailed for 6 months after being caught using fake passports and immigration documents
9 men were jailed for 6 months after being caught using fake passports and immigration documents

Nine men have been jailed for attempting to leave Malta using counterfeit passports.

Police Inspector Lara Butters arraigned the foreign nationals, who come from Sudan, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Togo and Georgia before magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech this morning.

Six of the men were apprehended on Friday as they attempted to catch a flight to Paris using counterfeit passports and Italian residence documents.

Three more had been arrested the day before, two as they boarded a catamaran to Sicily and one catching a flight to England.

They were charged with falsifying or tampering with passports and knowingly making use of forged documents.

All nine accused pleaded guilty.

The court handed each of them a six-month prison sentence.

Lawyer Joseph Bonnici was legal aid counsel.