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MALTATODAY 21 November 2018 Midweek

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maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 21 NOVEMBER 2018 3 NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 A total of 215 metric tonnes of illegally smuggled pills were de- stroyed. The ministry said that the drug – a synthetic opioid – is known to be trafficked by terrorist groups to generate revenue. It said the Sanc- tions Monitoring Board within the ministry had ordered the seizure of the pills in line with the United Nations Security Council Resolu- tions, calling on the international community to prevent and sup- press the financing of terrorist groups. "The ministry remains commit- ted to cooperating with its inter- national partners to prevent crime and to eliminate sources of terror- ist financing," the ministry said. It added that Foreign Minister Carmelo Abela commended the Malta Customs Department and the United States for their work related to the seizing and destroy- ing of the shipments "being used by criminal networks to generate funding for terrorist groups." Drug is trafficked by terrorist groups 17 Black is under investigation not Keith Schembri, PM says The Prime Minister says magisterial inquiry requested by the police was into the Dubai company 17 Black and not his chief of staff DAVID HUDSON PRIME Minister Joseph Mus- cat is insisting that his chief of staff Keith Schembri is not the subject of a magiste- rial inquiry requested by the police into Dubai-based com- pany 17 Black. He was reacting to the rev- elation made in Parliament on Monday that Magistrate Charmaine Galea was asked by the police to initiate an inquiry into 17 Black, which is separate from the ones re- quested by members of the Opposition. Muscat expressed exaspera- tion at the question over 17 Black when confronted by journalists yesterday even- ing just after addressing the Medical Cannabis World Fo- rum in Valletta. "Who told you that he's be- ing investigated?" Muscat said. "The inquiry is into 17 Black, not Keith Schembri." Muscat was asked whether Schembri should resign now that a criminal investigation was underway. Last year, dur- ing the election campaign, Muscat had said that his chief of staff would resign immedi- ately if he became subject to a criminal investigation. 17 Black was listed as a tar- get client for the Panama company set up by Schembri. It has now been revealed that 17 Black is owned by Yorgen Fenech, an investor in the Electrogas consortium that built and operates the gas power station. The Prime Minister said that he retained his full faith in Schembri. Muscat accused journalists of always attempting to twist his statements and that he was constantly having to re- peat them. "Let us wait for the investi- gation," he insisted.

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