The police on Friday intervened to arrest a man who had a suspicious package in Birzebbuga, the police said in a statement.

After a seven-hour stand-off, the man gave himself up to the police.

The police said that at 1.45pm on Friday it was informed that a man in a residence in Freeport Road, Birzebbuga was holding a suspicious package.

The police went on site, evacuated the buildings nearby as a precaution and called in the assistance of the Armed Forces of Malta’s Explosives Ordinance Disposal Unit.

The man refused to leave the residence and it too seven hours – until 9pm – for the police to arrest him.