Hunters` official to be arraigned

The police yesterday seized a shotgun from one of the senior officials of one of the hunters` associations on the grounds of illegal use.

Police sources said the official was found hunting less than 200 metres from an inhabited area close to the Halland Hotel in ta` l-Ibrag.

The hunter is expected to be arraigned shortly, the sources said.

The police had been receiving regular reports by residents in the area about hunters shooting close to their homes.

Police from the administrative law enforcement unit have so far this year booked some 100 hunters and trappers and seized over 60 shotguns.

Seventy hunters were booked in connection with illegal hunting on land, 15 booked for illegal hunting at sea and another 15 were booked for illegal trapping.

The police have also seized 1,500 birds. About 1,000 were finches which were being smuggled in while another 500 were protected species.