Three foreign men were jailed and a woman is awaiting judgment after admitting they had in their possession visa’s which were not in order. Two of the foreign men were each handed a 13-month jail term after pleading guilty to being in possession of counterfeit travelling visa.

19-year-old Turkish national Sengul Murat, and Tayebi Behzad, 25 of Iran admitted to the charges of having in their possession counterfeit travelling documents and making use of forged visas to enter Malta. In separate proceedings 26-year old Ethiopian national Habib Zemecha was jailed for three months for travelling without valid and legal documentation.

Prosecuting inspector Edel Mary Camilleri told the court that this is a new way being applied by some foreigners to enter the European Union. “A multi-country investigation is currently ongoing, to try and stall the use of such counterfeit documents. The visas, produced in Turkey, are used by foreigners to enter Malta illegally. This poses a high-risk situation as Malta is seen as an easily accessible country, which these people travel to with the excuse to find work,” the inspector said.  

Meanwhile an Iranian woman, 38-year-old Piniran Shiva admitted to the same charges as the two men, however had her judgement postponed to 18 March in order for the court to provide for the safety and well-being of her minor daughter which is accompanying her.