Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1532744
3 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 26 FEBRUARY 2025 NEWS KARL AZZOPARDI kazzopardi@mediatoday.com.mt PRIME Minister Robert Abela expressed full confidence in By- ron Camilleri, while Opposition leader Bernard Grech said the minister must resign, during a parliamentary sitting on Tues- day. "Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri has always worked dil- igently," Abela said while deliver- ing a ministerial statement. "Our support to the police corps was, is, and will always remain." Monday's chaotic parliamenta- ry sitting continued on Tuesday, as Abela's address was interrupt- ed by point of orders, shouting by MPs, and scolding by the Speaker of the House. The Home Affairs Minister By- ron Camilleri was present dur- ing the sitting, after being absent during Monday's sitting. "As a government we took the case seriously, as we understand the panic the public may have felt. I told the police I want re- sults, and that is what they did," Abela told the House. He also said a number of people have been arrested in connection with the case, with more details expected to be issued by the po- lice during a press conference lat- er on Tuesday. "You don't solve these cases with the Opposition's theatrics and by ridiculing the Police Com- missioner," Abela said. The Prime Minister said he has been cautious with details related to the case so as to not interrupt the investigations. At one point the sitting de- scended into a shouting match, with Opposition MP Karol Aq- uilina accusing the PM of being "friends with criminals". Abe- la hit back by saying the MP's brother, Robert Aquilina, is the one who is the criminals' friend. The PM's address was also in- terrupted by a point of order by the Opposition leader, who claimed Abela's was not sticking to the facts related to the case, after making reference to con- victed Brazilian drug trafficker Queirouz who had been granted a presidential pardon by a Na- tionalist administration. Byron must go – Bernard Grech The Opposition leader opened his address by slamming the Speaker for not forcing the PM to abide by a ruling he had just delivered. "The ministerial statement should stick to the facts," Grech said. He also made reference to a statement issued by the Cabinet of Ministers, who expressed full confidence in Byron Camilleri. "This is not the first time this happened, we all know the Cab- inet had expressed confidence in Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schem- bri," he said. He also accused the minister of being afraid of addressing the na- tion on the issue, calling on him to address a press conference to be subject to questioning by jour- nalists. "How has Byron Camilleri still not shouldered responsibility for what happened under him – from ID cards to escaped Mo- roccans, to torture and suicides inside prison, to 200kg of drugs being stolen from under the ar- my's nose?" Grech said. "Byron Camilleri must resign." Prime Minister Robert Abela (left) with Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri in the back ground, and Opposition leader Bernard Grech (right) addressing parliament Abela backs home affairs minister: 'Byron Camilleri has always worked diligently' CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 At 7:45am, a person was ar- rested in Marsa, with a further 34kg of cannabis resin being found inside a Ħaż-Żabbar ga- rage. The third round of arrests happened in Qormi, where an individual was arrested, with 10kg of cannabis resin being found stowed away at a San Gwann field. The final round of arrests was also carried out in Qormi, where the police surrounded two cars. 5kg of cannabis resin belonging to the arrested indi- viduals were found at a Pietà residence. Asked for further details on those being held in police cus- tody, the police commissioner said some are known to the po- lice, and all are of Maltese na- tionality. Further details on whether any AFM personnel are being held under arrest, or whether they were questioned by the police, were not given by Gafà. The police commissioner also said investigations are still on- going. The person arrested at Ħaż-Żebbuġ was 30-years- old. The person arrested at Marsa was 23-years-old. The person arrested at Ħal Qormi was 34-years-old. The per- sons arrested in Ħal Qormi and Tal-Pietà were 25- and 23-years-old. The theft occurred between last Saturday and Sunday, with the drugs being held inside a sealed container at the Safi bar- racks. Gafà said the police was informed of the theft at around 3:40am. The incident was only discov- ered after a routine inspection. The stolen cannabis resin was part of a larger haul seized by customs officials in June 2024, which had not yet been de- stroyed as per standard proce- dure. In June, customs officials had seized 4,300 kgs of with the original consignment being valued at around €13 million and was found hidden in six in- duction ovens. Following the incident, Camilleri had offered his resig- nation, which Prime Minister Robert Abela refused to accept. Magistrate Antoine Agius Bonnici is holding an inquiry. Individuals arrested are all of Maltese nationality - Police Commissioner AFM drug heist Customs officials had found €13 million worth of cannabis resin concealed within industrial ovens in a container at the Malta Freeport Terminal