By Ebi Kesiena
Libyan authorities have apprehended multiple customs officials for their involvement in an attempt to traffic approximately 26 tons of gold valued at nearly 1.8 billion euros ($1.9 billion) out of the country, according to prosecutors.
The Libyan prosecutor’s office disclosed that the arrested officials, including the director general of customs and customs personnel at Misrata’s international airport, were linked to the trafficking operation. The attempted smuggling involved gold bars weighing around 25,875 kilograms.
Under Libyan law, only the central bank is authorized to export gold. An investigation into the case has been initiated following the discovery of the smuggling attempt.
The incident highlights the ongoing challenges facing Libya, which has grappled with political turmoil and violence since the overthrow of longtime dictator Muammar Qaddafi in 2011. The country remains divided between the UN-recognized government in Tripoli and a rival administration in the east, led by Khalifa Haftar.
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Misrata, situated east of Tripoli, has played a significant role in various conflicts, including the fight against Qaddafi’s forces and against militants such as ISIS in 2016. Additionally, it thwarted an offensive by Haftar’s forces on Tripoli in 2019.
According to The Sentry, a US-based non-governmental organization that investigates trafficking in conflict zones, Libya has emerged as a crucial hub for illicit gold trafficking in recent years.
The report by the Sentry indicates that Libya has been utilized as a transit point for smuggling gold to destinations such as the UAE and, to a lesser extent, Turkey, particularly since 2014. Key transit points for illicit gold exports include the ports and airports in the Misrata-Zliten-Khums area and Benghazi in the east.
