Increase Of 55% In Cruise Passenger Traffic In Last 3 Months

Nov 13 2023

In the third quarter of 2023, the total cruise passenger traffic surged by 55.8%, reaching 348,268 passengers, compared to the same period last year.

The quarter witnessed 108 cruise liner calls, marking an increase of 11 calls compared to the corresponding quarter in the previous year. Transit passengers dominated the traffic, constituting 83.6% and totaling 291,216 passengers.

On average, each berthed vessel in Malta carried 3,225 passengers, a notable rise of 921 from the previous year.

Passengers from EU Member States represented 59.6% of the total traffic, with Italy contributing 25.3% and Germany following at 11.7%. Non-EU countries contributed 140,544 passengers, with the United Kingdom and the United States accounting for 40.7% and 28.9%, respectively.

In terms of gender, female passengers comprised 52.9% of the total, and the largest age group was 40-59 years, making up 36.9%.

For the first three quarters of the year, total cruise passengers amounted to 645,567, with 58.0% originating from EU Member States. The majority of passengers were female (53.3%), and the age group of 40-59 years constituted the largest share at 35.5%.

There were 227 cruise liner calls during this period, with an average of 2,844 passengers per vessel, reflecting a significant increase from the previous year. Read the full NSO report here.

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Marzia Maatouk Makes Europol’s Most Wanted List

Nov 13 2023

Europol has elevated Marzia Miramar Maatouk, the partner of notorious criminal Jomic Calleja, to its list of most wanted criminals.

Both Calleja and Maatouk, convicted separately in August 2023, managed to avoid imprisonment by appealing their sentences under Maltese law, which allows the postponement of magistrates’ prison sentences pending appeal decisions. Consequently, Calleja Maatouk was released from police custody.

Malta police suspect that the fugitive couple may have fled the country on a private boat to evade justice. Calleja Maatouk faced charges related to attempting to import C4 explosive purchased from the dark web, intercepted by U.S. law enforcement agents who replaced it with a dummy package before its arrival in Malta.

Court proceedings unveiled discussions between Calleja Maatouk and the supplier about acquiring poisons and radioactive polonium, leading to a five-year jail sentence, with Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech branding him a dangerous individual.

In a separate case, Marzia Miramar Maatouk received an effective 15-month jail term for possessing over 300g of cannabis, valued at over €6,000. Arrested in 2019 alongside Calleja, a vehicle search in Birkirkara led to the discovery of the drugs, resulting in charges of possession with intent to supply in September 2019. Both fugitives remain at large, prompting Europol’s intensified pursuit.

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Lion Prowls Italian Town After Escaping From Circus

Nov 13 2023

In an Italian seaside town near Rome, chaos ensued as an escaped lion roamed the streets for hours, leading advocates to renew calls for a ban on wild animals in entertainment in Italy.

The mayor of Ladispoli, Alessandro Grando, urged residents to stay indoors while authorities from both the police and the circus worked to capture the lion. Videos, though unauthenticated, circulated in Italian media, depicting the adult lion strolling through dark, empty streets.

Rony Vassallo, in charge of animals at the Rony Roller Circus, claimed that the lion, named Kimba, posed minimal danger, emphasizing that the animal did not display any aggression towards people during the unexpected escapade.

Vassallo expressed concerns about potential harm to Kimba out of fear or enthusiasm from onlookers. The mayor, Grando, later confirmed on Facebook that the lion had been sedated and captured after more than five hours of efforts by emergency services and volunteers.

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Grando, hopeful that the incident would raise awareness, advocated for an end to the exploitation of animals in circuses. He clarified that he had not authorized the presence of a circus with lions in the town but lacked the authority to prevent it.

Meanwhile, Vassallo, while reporting that Kimba suffered no ill-effects from the escapade, expressed the circus team’s shock and tension, hinting at a possible investigation into the escape, which he found suspicious. Kimba, born and raised in captivity, had drawn criticism from animal rights activists who argue against keeping such wild creatures in captivity.

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Agent Charged After 280 Foreign Workers Conned For Non-Existent Malta Job

Nov 13 2023

A temporary employment agent from Balzan, faces charges for allegedly deceiving approximately 280 third-country nationals by enticing them to pay for job contracts in Malta that never materialised.

The immigration police brought charges against Jonathan James Borg, accusing him of orchestrating a scheme that targeted mainly Indian foreign workers with promises of employment and accommodation in Malta.

Upon arriving in Malta, the migrants discovered that their expectations were shattered. The scheme unraveled when individuals, who were promised jobs and housing by Borg, began contacting his employer to complain about unfulfilled commitments.

Police investigations revealed that the third-country nationals had entered Malta using falsified travel and employment documents linked to Borg. Each migrant reportedly paid around €4,000, only to find themselves jobless and without accommodation.

Borg pleaded not guilty to charges including human trafficking conspiracy, assisting foreign workers in violating immigration laws, unauthorised use of electronic data, tampering with data, software or documentation, and document fraud.

Additionally, he faced charges of breaching an anti-money laundering attachment order, committing offences while under suspended sentences from 2019, and relapsing. Despite his plea, the court denied bail due to concerns about witness testimony and Borg’s previous violation of court orders. A freezing order was imposed on all of Borg’s assets.

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