Alternattiva Demokratika and Partit Demokratiku on Tuesday have called for a public inquiry into suspicious communication between organised crime groups and local police. 

Times of Malta revealed on Sunday how an inter-agency task force investigating organised crime involved in a smuggling operation has uncovered suspicious communication with officials in Maltese state entities, including police.

In a statement AD and PD said the article pointed towards the possibility of criminal collusion. 

They called for a public inquiry as to what action has been taken so far to expose the alleged criminal links to the police and asked why no further concrete action has been taken.

AD/PD said that besides periodic media reports and press releases, a private member’s motion was tabled by MPs Godfrey Farrugia and Marlene Farrugia in Parliament in October 2018 for the establishment of an internationally-led body focused on combating organised crime in the Central Mediterranean.

“It is of utmost concern that neither Labour nor the Nationalist Party have supported this private member’s bill presented in parliament, which is still to be placed on the agenda for discussion, almost two years since it was tabled.” 

They noted that, in contrast to Malta, Italy has arrested and seized millions of euros in assets derived from illegal activities.