Customs staff have confiscated a car and cigarettes and tobacco found in it after an operation which started around noon on Tuesday.

Under suspicion was a bar situated closed to the customs area in Marsa, and the bar was put under surveillance.

Movements around the car, owned by the bar’s owner, were followed. A search in the car yielded cigarettes and tobacco on which no taxes had been paid. The back of the car yielded two boxes of 18 200-cigarette cartons, and two 400-cigarette cartons.

Five packets of 10 bags with 50 grams of tobacco in each bag were also found and the space between the seats yielded a carton box wrapped in a towel which had 12 packets of tobacco with 10 bags each of 50 grams of tobacco.

All items, including the car, were seized. The police were informed and are continuing the investigations.