Tripoli based Minister of Interior, Major General Emad Trabelsi, stated that "The fuel (smuggling) issue is a major problem that has plagued Libya''.
Trabelsi was speaking live on television during yesterday’s Fourth Ordinary Cabinet Meeting of 2026, held in the city of Zliten.
Massive profiteering and plunder through fuel smuggling
''As a government, we bear responsibility before God and the Libyan people; this file involves massive profiteering and plunder through the smuggling of diesel and petrol."
"At the Ministry of Interior, we established a task force two and a half years ago. Despite limited technical resources, we work to track fuel shipments from the moment they leave the port until they reach the petrol station, assuming responsibility for this process across all cities in the western region, with the exception of two cities."
"We have full control over all cities in the Western Region and have implemented our fuel plan there—with the exception of Misrata and Zawia. We did not include these two cities in the Ministry's initial plan because the scope was too vast for us to handle at once; we deferred them to the second phase."
Warning against decision to sideline Ministry’s role in fighting fuel smuggling
"A decision was recently issued to form a committee comprising municipal mayors, the National Oil Corporation (NOC), and Brega Petroleum Marketing Company to handle fuel distribution, leaving the Ministry of Interior merely to act as an observer. This approach will lead to a resurgence of smuggling, as these entities lack the capacity or power to confront smuggling operations backed by military forces and (lack the capacity to confront corrupt) state officials within mid-level administrations and municipalities.
LD 100,000 made daily by petrol stations from smuggling
The daily profit for a single petrol station operator is at least 100,000 dinars, and I have shut down over 500 stations."
Other security agencies and state entities are fuel smuggling
"Regarding diesel, the smuggling is blatant and well-known, and we are capable of monitoring it. There are shipments of diesel that do not even technically enter Libya; a tanker arrives at a port, and the cargo is immediately diverted elsewhere. So, while I am working hard and doing my utmost regarding the fuel issue, I cannot clash with other security agencies and state entities."
Petrol queues due to late arrival of shipments due to bad weather
The Minister clarified that the congestion observed at some fuel stations is primarily linked to delays in the docking of fuel tankers due to maritime conditions, rather than a shortage in allocated supplies.
He confirmed that approximately 300 fuel stations in the Western Region receive regular supplies in accordance with the approved monitoring system.
Need to accelerate construction of strategic fuel tanks
He also emphasized the importance of accelerating the project to construct strategic fuel reserves to increase storage capacity and ensure supply stability. He revealed that the Ministry of Interior, in coordination with the Public Prosecutor's Office, had intervened to address a shipment of fuel that failed to meet specifications, preventing it from entering the storage depots.
The Minister noted the persistence of diesel smuggling operations, calling for enhanced coordination among security agencies, regulatory bodies, and relevant institutions to continue combating smuggling, protecting public funds, and ensuring fuel reaches its intended recipients.
