Five Paceville shops to face charges for selling alcohol after 9pm
Restaurant closed because of the absence of a 'responsible person'
Updated July 22 with MHRA statement
Charges are to be issued against five confectioners and supermarkets in St Julian's for selling alcoholic drinks after 9pm.
The police said that officers carried out a number of inspections over the weekend in entertainment areas, notably St Julian's, Paceville, Swieqi, Pembroke and San Ġwann.
Five shops in the Paceville area were found to be selling alcohol after 9pm, in breach of the law.
In a separate case, a restaurant was ordered to close after a responsible person was not on the premises, as required by law.
Other inspections related to breach of public order, wrong parking, dangerous driving, loud music, littering and drug trafficking.
Similar inspections will be made in various localities over the coming weeks, the police said.
MHRA welcomes crackdown
The Malta Hotel and Restaurant Association welcomed the police action and said it was also in favour of more general crackdowns on illegal parties, littering, loud music and people dressed improperly in public.
It called on authorities to continue equipping police with better laws, resources and training and suggested installing signage in high-traffic areas on how people are expected to behave.