Libyan Security Patrols Arrest 20 Truck Owners Over Smuggled Goods

The Law Enforcement Department, operating under the General Administration for Security Operations, announced on Wednesday that it had arrested 20 truck owners as part of a campaign to tighten controls on the transport of essential goods and food supplies and to combat smuggling and other commercial violations.

Directive from the Prime Minister

The operation was carried out on the instructions of the Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity. The truck owners are suspected of transporting essential food items that had been imported using financial letters of credit, but without the official documentation needed to verify the cargo’s legitimacy or origin.

Patrols Across Key Routes

The arrests took place during mobile security patrols conducted by the department in the suburbs of Tripoli, the Jebel (mountain) region, and as far as the Shwerif area. The patrols were part of an intensified monitoring campaign along vital roads and routes to check that legal documents accompany the transport of essential goods.

Legal Proceedings and Referral

Necessary legal measures have been taken against the detainees. They, along with the relevant paperwork and documentation, have been referred to the Agency for Combating Financial Crimes, Money Laundering, and Terrorism Financing. The trucks have been impounded by the department.

The department said these actions are part of broader efforts to strengthen control over the transport routes of essential goods, to verify the legitimacy of their movement and intended destinations, and to counter any practices aimed at circumventing legal regulations or undermining the stability of the local market. Libya has faced chronic smuggling and black-market activity since the 2011 uprising, with successive governments struggling to regulate the flow of subsidised and imported goods.