The Attorney General’s Office reported yesterday that it has detained 24 people (21 expats and 3 citizens) in south Libya in possession of 310,000 litres of petrol ready to be smuggled out of the country.
The Attorney General’s Office said these latest arrests come within its wider and long-term efforts aimed at confronting the growing phenomenon of fuel smuggling.
The Attorney General’s Office explained that supervised elements of the Law Enforcement Administration Branch – Southern Region, with the support of a military force belonging to the 10th Infantry Battalion had been tasked with enforcing the Public Prosecution’s orders to monitor and track those involved in fuel smuggling activity.
These included limiting their workplaces and taking measures to close them down to reduce the repercussions of illegally distributing fuel.
As a result of these ongoing measures, the Attorney General’s Office reported that he judicial police accomplished the following actions:
- Monitoring 33 makeshift fuel selling stations in the municipality of Sebha being supplied with fuel despite the lack of legitimacy of the activity.
- 232 fuel selling stations in the municipality of Wadi Al Shati being supplied with fuel despite the lack of legitimacy of the activity.
- 24 fuel selling stations in the municipality of Umm al-Aranib being supplied with fuel despite the lack of legitimacy of the activity.
- 18 fuel selling stations in the municipality of Al-Gatroun being supplied with fuel despite the lack of legitimacy of the activity.
It is after the discovery and inspection of these fuel stores intended for smuggling that procedures were taken to arrest the 24 accused caught in possession of the 310,000 litres.
