Two Serbian nationals have been deported from Malta after serving separate prison sentences for a string of serious crimes including drug trafficking, armed robbery and multiple thefts.In a statement, authorities confirmed that the first man served a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence after being found guilty of drug trafficking, possessing forged documents and carrying out several thefts from a grocery store in Mellieħa.Although he completed his sentence at the end of 2024, he remained in detention while his asylum application was being processed.The request was ultimately rejected by Maltese authorities, while a separate court challenge against his deportation order was also dismissed.The second Serbian national had served a five-year prison sentence after being convicted of armed robbery from a grocery store in Mosta, as well as thefts from a supermarket in St Paul’s Bay, a vehicle, a construction site and an apartment in Naxxar.He was also found guilty of holding a person against their will during one of the robberies.Both men were being held in a detention centre under the supervision of the Detention Services Agency until the forced return operation could be carried out.The deportation was led by the Malta Police Force with assistance from Detention Services officers.Authorities confirmed that both men are now banned from entering Malta and the wider Schengen Area.•