Immigration Act (Cap. 217), article 32

32. (1) Any person who - (a) aids or assists any person to land or attempt to land in Malta, or to reside in Malta, contrary to the provisions of this Act, or any person to land or attempt to land, or to reside in, or to leave any other State contrary to the law on entry, residence and exit of that State, or conceals or harbours any pe rson whom he knows, or has reasonable ground for believing, to be in Malta contrary to the provisions of this Act; or (b) takes in his employment, or gives work to, any person who is not an exempt person and is not in possession of a licence granted to him for the purpose of such employment or work under the provisions of this Act, or otherwise aids or assists any person who is not an exempt person in the commission of an offence contemplated in article 23; or (c) in relation to any information to be given under or for purposes of this Act, makes or causes to be made any false return, false statement or false representation; or (d) forges any document or true copy of a document or an entry made in pursuance of this Act; or (e) obstructs or impedes any person in the lawful exercise of his powers or duties under this Act; or (f) without lawful authority uses or has in his possession any document required for the purposes of this Act which is forged; or (g) contravenes any provision of this Act in respect of which an offence is not established under any other article of this Act, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable, on convictio n by the Court of Magistrates, to a fine ( multa ) not exceeding eleven thousand and six hundred and forty-six euro and eighty-seven ce nts (11,646.87) or to impri sonment for a term not exceeding two yea rs or to both such fine and imprisonment, unless a greater punishm ent is established for such offence by another law: Provided that the Pr incipal Immigrati on Officer may decide not to institute proceedings on any person who aids or assists any other person in any immediate situation of danger to land or attempt to land or transit through Malta, when such acts have b een committed with a view to providing humanitarian assistance. IMMIGRATION [ CAP. 217. 23 (2) Where the competent authority in Malta is requested by another State to prosecute for a n offence under subarticle (1)( a), the competent authority shall first request the competent autho rity of the Sate making the request for prosecution to specify, by m eans of an official denunciation or a certificate, the provisions of law which the latter State consid ers to have been infringed. Evidence and burden of proof. Amended by: XXXVI. 2015.10.