A Maltese man has been arrested in Sicily as he was about to transport 231 kilogrammes of marijuana in a trailer, Sicilian media report.

The man, aged 32, is a driver with a Maltese transport company.

Two police dogs, Aquy and Primo, sniffed the drugs during a random search at the port on the night between 29 and 30 January.

Italian media have described it as one of the major hauls ever seized. It is estimated that the cost of the drugs amount to 1.5 million euros.

The drug was discovered among frozen food that was being transported in the same trailer which was about the be driven onto the catamaran on its way to Malta.

The man was taken to the Ragusa police station for questioning.