Cap. 234 Art. 166Penalty for forcing  men ashore. 

A person belonging to a Maltese ship shall not wrongfully force a seaman or an apprentice on shore and leave him behind or otherwise cause a seaman or an apprentice to be wrongfully left behind at any place, either on shore or at sea, and if he does so he shall for each offence be liable to imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years or to a fine (multa) not exceeding five hundred units or to both such imprisonment and fine.