A man who was living in Malta irregularly was forcibly returned to his country of origin after failing to qualify for international protection, the police said on Tuesday.

In a statement, the Immigration Police said the man of Asian origin had arrived in Malta in 2023 and had failed to cooperate with authorities to leave the country voluntarily. He had also served a prison sentence after attempting to escape from a detention centre.

In recent weeks, through joint efforts between the Immigration Police and the Returns Unit within the Ministry for Home Affairs, Security and Employment, an identification document was obtained to allow for his forced return.

This was the second forced return operation organised by the police so far in 2026, the authorities added.