Updated at 4.53pm

A man was charged with human trafficking and money laundering on Saturday afternoon.

The 36-year-old man was arrested at the airport after officials stopped 11 Bangladeshi men on their way to Italy.

The men were stopped on suspicion of using forged documents. 

The 36-year-old was also carrying "a considerable amount of money", the police said in a statement, increasing suspicion that he was responsible for the other men's illegal transitioning through Malta.

He appeared in court at 1.30pm, with the hearing presided over by Magistrate Victor Axiaq.

The prosecution was led by Christian Abela and James Turner.

Cinzia Azzopardi Alamango and Maria Schembri from the AG's office assisted. 

Malta lagging behind in anti-human trafficking measures

Last month, a US State Department report into the trafficking of persons found that Malta does not “fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking” but is making “significant efforts” to do so.

The report, which covered the year 2020, said Malta had identified the fewest victims since 2016 and continued to lack coordination among ministries.

Malta also does not effectively enforce labour recruitment regulations or monitor massage parlours where there is a higher incidence of trafficking indicators.

Malta police launched 16 human trafficking probes in 2020, the highest number in years. Eight involved sex trafficking and another eight labour trafficking.