Police detentions made across Malta as part of a joint operation with the armed forces and secret service.

Maltese police have arrested 10 people allegedly connected to the murder of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia who died in a car bomb blast two months ago.

Malta’s Prime Minister Joseph Muscat announced eight arrests at a press conference on Monday, and he later tweeted that two other individuals were also apprehended.

All eight initial suspects were Maltese nationals, and some were known to the police, Muscat said.

An additional 2 persons have been apprehended in #DaphneCaruanaGalizia murder probe, bringing total to 10 arrests. Authorities have all areas of interest under control since early this morning and searches are underway. — Joseph Muscat (@JosephMuscat_JM) December 4, 2017

Police made arrests in several locations around Malta on Monday morning as part of a joint operation with the armed forces and secret service.

Muscat provided few details about the suspects, stating an unwillingness to say anything that might affect potential prosecutions.

The arrests were the first apparent break in the murder investigation, which is receiving support from the FBI, Europol, and Finnish security services.

Caruana Galizia, 53, was killed on October 16 after a bomb exploded in her car as she drove away from her home in Mosta, a small town outside the capital, Valletta.

She was well-known in the small island country for her popular blog, Running Commentary, where she highlighted alleged high-level corruption by politicians across party lines.

Caruana Galizia also covered criminal gangs and drug trafficking and was responsible for exposing Malta’s links with the so-called Panama Papers document leak.

Half an hour before the explosion, Caruana Galizia wrote on her blog: “There are crooks everywhere you look now. The situation is desperate.”

{articleGUID}

Investigators now have 48 hours to question the suspects before charging or releasing them.

Muscat was often criticised by Caruana Galizia, who he has described as his “greatest adversary”.

He has faced criticism from many, including Caruana Galizia’s sons, for the lack of progress in the investigation.