For the second time in a few weeks, after several days of investigations and close surveillance, Customs officers tracked a fruit and vegetable van where smuggled cigarettes, soft drinks and alcohol were found.

The fruit and vegetable van, owned by a 30-year-old man from Mgarr, is usually stationed at Mellieha Bay. In a statement, the Customs Department said that over the past few weeks, the fruit and vegetable van was closely monitored by its officials because it was suspected that smuggled items were being sold.

The van was searched in Mellieha Bay where customs officers, assisted by the police, seized a number of packets of cigarettes which were stored inside the van as well as cans of soft drinks and bottles of alcohol.

Following this discovery, the officers proceeded to search the man’s house and two garages located in the vicinity. More cigarettes, bottles of alcohol and soft drinks on which, according to preliminary investigations, stamp duty had not been paid, were found.

In all, customs officers seized 50 cartons each containing 200 cigarettes of various brands, five boxes of alcoholic beverages and around 30 boxes of soft drinks.

Investigations are still under way and the police are expected to charge the man in court in the coming days.