Malta Environment and Planning Authority (Mepa) enforcement officers have confiscated over 800 bottles of illegal beverages.

The containers were confiscated in line with the legal notice on non-alcoholic beverages, which stipulates that any beverage which is flavoured, carbonated and contains less than two per cent alcohol must be in a refillable glass container or dispensed from a keg.

It is also mandatory for refundable deposits to be imposed on all glass containers and kegs.

Moreover, beverages kept in containers that breach the legal notice should not be imported, manufactured, kept in possession, sold or consumed locally.

Penalties may range from fines between Lm1,000 and Lm10,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or a combination of both.

The illegal containers were confiscated over two days at the beginning of this week, from nine different outlets located in St Paul’s Bay, Attard, Gzira, Senglea, Paola, Zejtun, Ibragg and San Gwann. Five other outlets were inspected, but no illegal containers were found.

Confiscation of material involved the issue of a Chain of Custody receipt and the material will be stored until all legal proceedings are finalised.