18 Egyptians arrested for attempting to sneak into Malta

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday received a note from Egypt's embassy in Malta saying that the Maltese authorities arrested 18 Egyptian young men for illegally sneaking into the country from Libya.

The note said that these young men were tried Sunday when the Maltese courts decided to return them to Libya and prevent them from entering Malta for six months.

Ambassador Mohamed Akel, the manager of travel guides' affairs in the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, said that those citizens tried to sneak into Malta en route to Italy, warning that the Italian government recently created restrictions and strict procedures to prevent illegal entry to its territories.

The ambassador urged the Egyptian citizens either inside the country or outside it not to enter any country without obtaining the proper paperwork so they cannot be exposed to a legal inquiry, trial or severe procedures.