Some 220 beekeeping hives containing 250,000 bees were intentionally destroyed in the area between Għarb and Għasri in Gozo in the past days.

The hives were set alight and damage has been estimated at €12,000.

Farming parliamentary secretary Roderick Galdes condemned the vandalism, saying it was both an attack on a private business as well as an environmental crime.

He called on anyone with information about the crime to contact police.