Police raid more stables housing migrants, 80 found living in squalid conditions

The police and Planning Authority officials yesterday raided yet more stables ‘housing’ more than 80 migrants in what were described as squalid conditions in Marsa. 47 of them were arrested, the Planning Authority confirmed later in a statement.

The migrants were found living on property not suitable for residential purposes, the PA said in a statement after the early morning raid, which saw the police needing to break through chains and padlocks so as to gain entry to the stables.

The operation was carried out by the Planning Authority, assisted by members of the Police Special Intervention Unit, Rapid Intervention Unit, Administrative Law Enforcement and immigration police.

The Planning Authority said that in the early hours of the morning, its Compliance & Enforcement Directorate, accompanied by the Malta Police Force, Health and Immigration officials cordoned off an area in Marsa after investigations concluded that a number of stables had been illegally ‘converted’ to house foreign workers in inhumane conditions.

The stables, in Sqaq il-Ġerrejja corner with Sqaq l-Istallel, in Marsa, had been converted into makeshift residences to cater for foreign workers seeking cheap accommodation facilities.

The authority found that the stables had been ‘converted’ into 19 small living accommodation quarters of approximately 20 square metres to accommodate 12 or more people.

The migrants cooked, washed and slept in conditions that were a health hazard not only due to being significantly overcrowded but also as they lacked adequate sanitary facilities, the authority said.

In total, 200 beds were found. Forty-seven people were arrested by the police and were taken in for further questioning.

Given that a number of workers had already left for work prior to the start of the operation, throughout the day yesterday the Authorities provided access for the workers to return to the area and collect their possessions.

The PA’s officers will monitor the site to ensure that the stables are operated in accordance with their permitted use.