In a video tape, heavily edited and redacted, on the Tripoli based Interior Ministry’s official social media page, the Acting Interior Minister, Emad Trabelsi, said fuel smuggling had recently become ‘‘open season’’.
460 fake petrol stations closed
He said, during a meeting with the Fuel Crisis Committee held Friday at the Tripoli headquarters of the Ministry of Interior, that many petrol stations exist on paper but in reality, are not selling fuel and are closed. He said the Committee has closed hundreds of petrol stations – 460 stations.
Fuel criminals took advantage of Interior Ministry’s distraction
He attributed the latest fuel crises of which peaked last week to some criminals who took advantage of the distraction of the Interior Ministry in implementing the security plan for Tripoli. They restarted smuggling across the sea and land. Some are creating this fuel shortage crises artificially. Pressures from criminals on fuel distribution companies are creating these crises. All those participating in this artificial crisis will be arrested and handed over to the public prosecutor. There have been no fuel crises for a year – since June 2024. This crisis is manufactured by some interested parties.
He assured there is no fuel shortage and urged citizens to queue in an in front of petrol stations. orderly and peaceful manner
Petrol stations who have petrol must be open and operating. There is no shortage of fuel supplies. Any citizen who finds a closed petrol station should report it to the police
He said and we are now able to control and monitor petrol stations, and that this success is not attributed to a minister or a company manager, but a success for everyone who contributed to the fight against fuel smuggling.
