Two people were arrested as they were caught red handed trying to traffic a significant quantity of cocaine into Malta from Sicily.

Police said that they had arrested a 24-year-old man from Moldova and an 18-year-old woman from Russia after 25 kilograms of what is thought to be cocaine was found in their vehicle as they arrived in Malta from Sicily.

Police were tipped off about the alleged traffickers and subsequently searched the vehicle immediately after it disembarked from the Sicily-Malta catamaran.

In fact, the drugs were found packaged into 25 separate packets in the vehicles fuel tank.

Its street value is estimated to be around €2.2 million, police said.

Duty magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit is leading an inquiry while police investigations are also ongoing.