Six Italian nationals were arrested at Malta International Airport on Thursday evening in connection with a spate of car vandalism in Swieqi, Home Affairs Minister Glenn Bedingfield said.

In a Facebook post, Bedingfield said the six men, all Italian nationals, were stopped at the airport following the incidents.

He said investigations were still under way to establish who was responsible for the vandalism, while thanking the Swieqi Community Police Team for identifying the alleged culprits.

The arrests came hours after Swieqi deputy mayor Jordan Galea Pace published CCTV footage showing a group of young men approaching a parked car and repeatedly striking it. The sound of blows can be clearly heard in the footage.

Galea Pace said four cars had been vandalised during the night.

"Four families and residents affected by arrogance and rowdy tourism," he wrote in a caption accompanying the video.

He said the incident had been reported to the police and expressed confidence that officers in Swieqi would identify those responsible.

"The mentality of 'we come to Malta, and Swieqi, because there's no enforcement' ends here," Galea Pace said.

"You are welcome in our locality, but you will respect our residents, our property and our laws. Enough is enough," he added.

The incident is the latest in a series of reports of anti-social behaviour affecting Swieqi and other localities with a high concentration of tourist short-let accommodation.

Residents in Swieqi have for years complained about cars and other property being vandalised, often allegedly by drunk young people, as well as increased littering and excessive noise associated with rowdy tourists.

Last week, the Armed Forces of Malta deployed soldiers in Swieqi as a deterrent against anti-social behaviour following pressure from residents and the local council.

The deployment came amid growing concern about disorder in the area, with residents and local representatives calling for stronger enforcement.

The latest arrests come as authorities face renewed pressure to address anti-social behaviour in tourist-heavy localities and reassure residents that incidents involving damage to private property will be investigated and prosecuted.