The Żebbug Local Council will soon pass a by-law that will make it illegal to drink alcohol along the Marsalforn promenade and on the beaches found within the locality.

The move is aimed at curbing crime, which has risen drastically in the area over the past few months, and most of which is linked to public drunkenness.

Residents who spoke to The Malta Independent on Sunday said the quaint seaside town is fast turning into a crime mecca.

Marsalforn is also plagued by overpopulation and a construction frenzy which is fast spiralling out of control, but the main concern of residents and holidaymakers is the increasing crime rate.

The town, which is very popular with Maltese and foreign tourists alike, falls under the Żebbug Local Council.

Residents who spoke to this newsroom said that crime has risen alarmingly over the past few months, with many pointing their fingers at a relatively new group of foreign nationals.

Drunkenness on the beaches and fist fights have become the order of the day, one resident said, adding that the police have acknowledged this by stationing more officers at the local police station. In fact, whereas before there would be only one officer at the police station, there are now between 5 and 6 at any given time.

The beefed-up police presence, however, has not solved the issue, and the council aims to tackle it in a different way.

Żebbug PN minority leader Daniel Cordina told The Malta Independent on Sunday that the local council is working on a by-law that will make it illegal to consume alcohol on the promenade and on the beaches. The by-law is expected to come into force soon.

“Most of the crime we are seeing lately is associated with excessive drinking,” Cordina said.

He also pointed to the increase in population numbers, particularly during the summer months. The population of Marsalforn swells to around 4,000 in the summer, he said, adding that this places immense pressure on the small locality.

The by-law that is being worked on by the council is similar to one recently introduced by the St Paul’s Bay local council, he remarked.

Cordina said that more enforcement is required in the area and appealed to the police force to increase the presence of patrolling officers.

In the 2020 crime report compiled by criminologist Saviour Formosa, Żebbug (including Marsalforn) featured in sixth place among the six localities where the crime rate was two to five times higher than the national average.