An alleged human smuggler was taken to court under arrest on Monday night but his case will be heard behind closed doors.

When the case began against a foreign national who lives in Malta, prosecuting inspector Lydon Zammit and defence lawyers Arthur Azzopardi and Jacob Magri asked Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit for the arraignment to be held behind closed doors.

The police explained that investigations were still ongoing and any publicity to the case might jeopardise them.

Earlier, the police said in a statement that the people started their investigations after an illegal landing of migrants in Delimara on the night between 13 and 14 September. The boatload had left Libya.

After the police were called to the scene, the attention of the investigation focused on who could have coordinated this landing.

The investigations came to an end today leading to the arraignment of the 50-year-old man who was accused of crimes related to human trafficking.

The police said investigations are still ongoing and they did not exclude that more people will be arraigned in the near future.

Sources said the man confessed to the crime during his police interrogation.

Magistrate Stafrace Zammit accepted the request and ordered everyone out of the courtroom.