The Attorney General’s Office revealed that the Public Prosecution's campaign against banned pesticides resulted in the seizure of approximately 65,000 units of prohibited or non-compliant pesticides.
The operation led to the registration of 236 cases, the arrest of 202 suspects, and the pursuit of 73 wanted individuals.
This has come following an extensive inspection campaign targeting farms, companies, and shops specializing in pesticide distribution. The campaign involved inspections of 76 farms, 63 companies, 9 warehouses, and 368 pesticide outlets.
It said the prosecution offices oversaw the collection of 774 vegetable samples last February from major markets in Tripoli, Misrata, and Benghazi for laboratory testing.
It also added that analyses conducted in international laboratories confirmed the presence of residues from banned pesticides and others exceeding permissible limits.
The prosecution office said that it has begun tracing the entry routes of these substances into the country and identifying the entities and individuals involved in their import or distribution, in preparation for taking legal action and initiating public prosecution proceedings against them.
Economy Minister Abu Shiha: more than 10 million Libyan consumers affected
Also commenting on the matter of expired pesticides yesterday, the Minister of Economy and Trade, Suhail Abu Shiha, said the issue of agricultural pesticides affects more than 10 million consumers in Libya.
He said that US$ 900 million in documentary credits was allocated to the agricultural sector in 2025.
The minister added that some countries exporting agricultural products to the Libyan market do not permit the sale of those same products within their own domestic markets.
Government has no control of goods entering all Libyan ports
Meanwhile, in a damning remark on the government’s control of goods entering, the Attorney General, Siddig Al-Sour said ‘‘There is no control over ports of entry or any other entry points. Drugs, perished food, and expired goods are entering Libya through all ports of entry.
He revealed that he had long requested the use of a reputable international goods tracking company for Libya's imports – without success.
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