The General Staff of the Armed Forces affiliated with Libya’s Government of National Unity (GNU) announced the seizure of a vehicle loaded with 52,000 narcotic pills, near the border with Tunisia.
In a statement on Wednesday, a patrol from the 419th Border Guard Battalion in Nalut found the vehicle near the Tawil Al-Tahir checkpoint, after being abandoned by the smugglers.
The statement added that another patrol pursued a car carrying boxes of medicines suspected to contain narcotics, near the Qarat Nalut checkpoint.
Earlier this month, Tunisian Customs thwarted an attempt to smuggle 24 kilograms of Indian hemp, concealed in 100 small boxes, on the southeastern border with Libya.
The operation, part of the ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking along the southern border, was carried out by customs units in Tunisia’s Tataouine region.
Two patrols from the customs guard tracked, and apprehended an off-road vehicle. The vehicle was discovered stranded in the sand dunes.
Upon thorough inspection, a plastic bag containing 100 small boxes of Indian hemp, totalling over 24.5 kilograms, was found inside, along with a wireless device.
The seized vehicle was transported to the unit’s headquarters. The confiscated items were then handed over to the relevant customs authorities, for further investigation.
Notably, Tunisia and Libya jointly announced plans to install surveillance towers along their shared borders, to curb smuggling operations and combat organized crime.
Tunisian Interior Minister, Kamel El-Faqi and his Libyan counterpart, Emad Al-Trabulsi disclosed this initiative at a joint press conference held on Tuesday at the Ras Jedir border crossing.
They emphasised their readiness to enhance the capabilities of monitoring systems for border control. This joint effort aims to address various issues related to smuggling, human trafficking, and drug trade.
Al-Trabulsi revealed the full takeover of the border crossing by his ministry. They are currently working on its technological, technical, and human development.
In the next two weeks, the installation of advanced cameras and towers for border surveillance will commence, marking a strong collaboration between both security apparatuses.