A total of 31 people are being investigated by police after they were caught in possession of drugs during a party in Rabat on Santa Marija.

The 22 men and nine women were held by police and members of the Armed Forces of Malta during a raid at the party venue as well as during vehicle checkpoints carried out by AFM soldiers in various parts of the island.

Year-in year-out, the police and AFM are always kept busy intercepting people going to and leaving parties with drugs on the occasion of Santa Marija.

In a statement, the police said members of the Drug Squad arrested 18 people while the rest were held by AFM soldiers. All those arrested were caught in possession of ecstasy pills.

The police said the ages of those arrested range from 16 to 42 years. The people being held are from Safi, Dingli, Kirkop, Zejtun, Zabbar, Sliema, Marsa, Santa Venera, Santa Lucia, Hamrun, Luqa, Kalkara, Tarxien, Senglea, Zebbug, Gzira and Paola. Four of the arrested women are Russian nationals.

The police are still investigating but the arrested people are expected to be charged in the coming days.