Libya’s Counter-Terrorism and Organized Crime Deterrence Agency (Al Radaa) has foiled the largest smuggling operation of its kind this year, seizing significant quantities of cannabis.
The agency pointed out that the targeted operation resulted in the arrest of a cell that had relocated from the eastern part of the country and was apprehended in a state of flagrante delicto in the city of Tarhuna.
The cell was transporting over a thousand kilograms of cannabis, cleverly concealed inside a truck designated for food transportation, which contained boxes of cooking oil unfit for human consumption.
The apprehended members of the cell confessed to intending to transport these drugs to the capital, Tripoli, from the city of Tobruk in the east, before being intercepted and seized by the agency’s personnel.
Earlier this week, Libyan Customs at the Benghazi seaport, supported by the Libyan National Army (LNA), foiled the smuggling of 210,000 banned pills hidden inside cars coming from the Netherlands.
Two individuals transporting the pills were arrested, and the pills were destroyed in the presence of the public prosecutor.
Last week, the Benghazi Customs seized approximately 18 million tablets of Captagon, a controlled substance, concealed within three containers shipped from Syria. These containers were falsely declared to contain fresh apples and were linked to a company named “Dar Al-Salam.”
The discovery was made during a meticulous inspection process, revealing the tablets hidden in a sophisticated manner. This operation was conducted by the Benghazi seaport customs inspection department and the anti-smuggling and narcotics department, with support from the Libyan National Army and oversight by the Public Prosecution.
A total of 17,812,300 Captagon tablets were confiscated and immediately disposed of, with evidence being collected for further legal action.
In a related operation, the Libyan Anti-Narcotics Agency, in collaboration with the Libyan National Army, intercepted a significant cocaine shipment at the same seaport.
