Customs said on Monday its officials found €13 million worth of cannabis resin hidden inside industrial ovens in a container at the Malta Freeport Terminal.

The officials scanned the container - originating from Morocco and bound for Tripoli in Libya, following a risk assessment. 

A first scan of six induction ovens in the container showed significant inconsistencies, and further scans left no doubt that irregular material was concealed in the ovens, Customs said in a statement. 

Getting to the drugs was a complex process that took over two days to conclude and involved the Customs canine teams, a team from the Police narcotics squad and members from the Civil Protection Department.

Once the panels had been dismantled, 4,300 kilos of Cannabis resin were found embedded in the inner parts of the induction ovens.

Customs said this was "a remarkable find not only because the quantity was considerable – even on an international scale – but also because the structures were ingeniously built to distract and mislead the authorities".

Last week, Customs intercepted a separate 50 kilos of cocaine from a container that arrived from Ecuador with the final destination set for Slovenia.

Duty magistrates were informed of the two cases and inquiries appointed.