The Commissioner of Police must explain how and why the change in the amount of drugs stolen from an Armed Forces of Malta base came about, the PN said.

"It is surreal how, from the initial statement by Commissioner of Police Angelo Gafà to the media on 25 February - declaring that 226 kilograms of drugs had been stolen from outside the Special Operations Unit within the Armed Forces of Malta base - today, after 14 days, the version has changed and forensic experts in court testified that 132 kilograms of drugs were stolen," the party said in a statement signed by the PN's Shadow Minister for Home Affairs, Security and Reforms Darren Carabott.

This means it took two weeks for the Commissioner of Police to realise a miscalculation in the amount of drugs stolen, "as there is a discrepancy of 94 kilograms between his initial statement and the testimony given by experts," the PN said.

"The political responsibility for this situation lies with Minister Byron Camilleri, whom Robert Abela continues to defend, further confirming that this government has failed, even in security."

The PN said that it demands full transparency and clear accountability to the public. "In the interest of the reputation of all officers within the Police Force, the Commissioner of Police must explain how and why this change in the version occurred and why it took two weeks for this adjustment to be communicated. This explanation should be given immediately and leave no room for doubt."

The PN is also requesting clarification on what administrative steps will be taken in response to this situation.

The PN noted that not all of the stolen drugs have yet been recovered. "However, the issue remains one of national security failure, with another alarming fact emerging today - the person who stole the drugs spent around two hours inside this military base and was not caught."

"It is also concerning that the court order issued by the Courts of Justice on 20th June 2024 for the destruction of the drugs was not followed, allegedly due to a malfunction in the incinerator. As a result, the drugs ended up being stolen from one of the most secure locations in Malta eight months later."

"This means that even if one were to accept the excuse of the incinerator malfunction, eight months still passed before the drugs were stolen, and the incinerator remained out of order with no alternative solution found. It is also worth asking what happened to the rest of the drugs that were ordered to be destroyed in other cases since the incinerator stopped functioning. The more facts emerge about this case, the more it becomes evident that our country needs to move forward and political responsibility must be assumed by Minister Byron Camilleri."

"Today was yet another day of embarrassment for Robert Abela's Government, which continues to carry the burden of Minister Byron Camilleri's failures," the PN said.

'A populist Opposition that has no respect for the police nor the investigation processes to ensure that justice is done' - PL

In response, the Labour Party said that "the PN spokesperson would be the first to, as soon as something happens, expects the police to react immediately through public statements, but then cries foul when in the course of the investigations it transpires that more facts emerge which would then be explained as part of the court process."

"This is something normal in the course of police investigations, but whoever is populist like the opposition spokesperson does not understand or does not want to."

"Above all, it stands out how the PN spokesperson issued a statement about the work of the police, not to thank them for having resolved a complex case in a short period of time, and arraigned people, but to attack them," the PL said.

"The PN does not miss one opportunity to lash out at the police force, and today's attack was another in a series of attacks by the PN against the police." This time, they not only attacked the police, the PL said, but also the work it carried out hand in hand with the inquiring Magistrate together with forensic experts.

"The country has a dangerous opposition because even on the most serious of matters, it opts for partisan politics and bases its policies on sensationalism rather than facts."