The Libyan Attorney General’s Office announced the arrest of dozens of drug dealers in a major raid in the city of Misrata, northwestern Libya.
The statement noted that among those arrested were both nationals and expatriates in the Al-Qoshi area of Misrata. A large amount of drugs, money and firearms were also reportedly seized.
Libya’s Attorney General, Al-Siddiq Al-Sour supervised the raid, which was carried out with the support of the Joint Security Forces, and the Anti-Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances police in Misrata.
On Tuesday, outlaws in the municipality of Qurayyat, 340 kilometers south of the capital, Tripoli, exchanged fire with Libyan law enforcement forces.
The Attorney’s General Office stated that judicial officers, police, and the 444th Special Forces Brigade were able to arrest the criminals.
The statement added that “weapons, ammunition, and vehicles used by the wanted persons in resisting the law enforcement forces were seized.”
The security operation came on the orders of Attorney General, Al-Siddiq Al-Sour, “in order to apprehend the perpetrators of the crimes,” the statement concluded.
Last month, the Benghazi Security Directorate stated that the Joint Military Security Committee (JMSC) raided several “dens of corruption” in the Al-Majouri neighbourhood.
The Committee consists of the Libyan National Army (LNA), and police personnel. This came about two weeks after a similar campaign targeted two other neighbourhoods in the city. The directorate published pictures showing the raids, and arrests.
According to Al-Wasat newspaper, eyewitnesses reported that lengthy firefights took place during the raid.
Last week, the Customs Center of the Misrata sea port managed to seize 12,000 weapons, which were smuggled in one of the shipments coming to Libya on board a commercial ship coming from Malta.
The Center indicated that after the inspections, the smuggled shipment was seized in one of the containers, which contained household items for camouflage. Customs men were able to detect and seize this container. It arrived at the port of Misurata on board the ship (Biltaky), which carries the flag of the State of Liberia, coming from Malta, via the CMACGM shipping line.