By Hadi Fornaji.
Tunis, 10 May 2017:
The Attorney General, Sadiq Al-Sour, is reported to have banned members of the boards of directors of Libya’s four main fuel distribution companies from traveling abroad pending the outcome of investigations into fuel smuggling.
The orders affect directors of Sharara, Oil Libya, Rahila and the Highway Services Company.
In January, Al-Sour announced an investigation into the smuggling of petrol and other refined oil products from Libya to Italy, Malta, Cyprus and Greece, claiming that the trade had cost Libya half a billion dinars.
At the time, he issued travel bans solely against the chief executives of the four companies. These have now been widened to include other top officials.
The January decision to investigate smuggling followed a call by the chairman of the National Oil Corporation (NOC), Mustafa Sanalla, for legal action against smugglers.
Eleven days ago, coast guards arrested two tankers believed to be involved in smuggling fuel.
