A 37-year-old Libyan businessman was sentenced to two years in jail, suspended for four years, and was fined €8,600 after pleading guilty to associating with others in Malta to export 450 boxes of 12 gauge gunshot cartridges to Libya.

Khalil Sadegh Harrus pleaded guilty before Magistrate Francesco Depasquale to attempting last month to export the 112,500 cartridges without a licence and in violation of sanctions ,some of which still apply against Libya.

The cartridges were found in a container lying in a yard owned by a stevedore. Others are being interrogated by the police – the container was to be shipped to Libya with quantities of energy drinks and toiletries, among which the cartridges were hidden.

Mr Harrus, of Tripoli, admitted to making a false declaration to Customs, and that he tried to export ammunition from Malta without a police licence. He also pleaded guilty to trying to sell the ammunition by using Malta-flagged vessels, as a result of which he was violating UN-imposed sanctions.

Magistrate Depasquale confiscated the whole consignment, which with the cartridges, is worth about €85,000. The objects seized are to pass to the government.

Inspector Rennie Stivala prosecuted. Dr Jose Herrera and Dr Veronique Dalli were defence counsel.