Thousands of illegally-manufactured bullets were being manufactured in a Gozo gun shop, delivered to another gun shop in Rabat and shipped to Libya via Sa Maison, a court was told today.

A Libyan national and two gun shop owners have been charged so far over what is believed to be a ring exporting bullets to Libyan organisations, and accused of being aware that the bullets being sold could end up used against civilians.

The compilation of evidence against two of them, 31-year-old Tripoli native Feraj Issa Ali Yacoub and 53-year-old Rabat resident Michael Azzopardi, began today. The third man, 41-year-old Xaghra resident Mario Farrugia, is facing separate procedures at the Gozo court over his involvement in the case.

Prosecuting inspectors Michael Mallia and Keith Arnaud testified in today’s sitting, and they explained that following a tip-off, they were ordered to keep the Tal-Margu Gun Shop in Rabat, which is owned by Mr Azzopardi, under watch.

Mr Yacoub, a Tarxien resident who is married to a Maltese woman, was observed leaving the shop in Triq ir-Rghajja, and was subsequently stopped by the police while driving through Mdina Road, Attard. Eleven boxes containing some 23,000 bullets were found in his car, concealed beneath plastic chairs and a sun visor.

Mr Azzopardi’s arrest soon followed, and €14,590 in cash, some 14kg of gunpowder and two sticky notes on which “€15,400” had been scribbled.

Mr Yacoub opted to cooperate with the police, and told them that his role was simply that of a courier, responsible for picking up the ammunition in Rabat and delivering it to a third party in Sa Maison, who would then load it to Libya. He would be paid €300-400 for every delivery.

According to Insp. Arnaud, three or four consignments to Libya had already taken place.

Mr Yacoub said that he was not responsible for paying Mr Azzopardi, and that he did not know how – or how much – the gun shop owner was being paid.

At first, Mr Azzopardi denied ever supplying bullets to Mr Yacoub, but later admitted to doing so. He insisted that the cash the police had found was not related to the case, and that he had not yet been paid for the bullets.

He also explained that while he himself procured the necessary components and material, the bullets themselves were being manufactured at Mr Farrugia’s own gun shop in Gozo.

Mr Farrugia corroborated this version of events, but also alleged that Mr Azzopardi was also involved in deals with other Libyan clients. He said that Mr Azzopardi had ordered thousands of bullets from him on various occasions.

Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit put off the case for 18 November. Both men had been granted bail when they were arraigned last month.