The Libyan Attorney General’s office in Tripoli has ordered the arrest of the Director General of the Customs Authority and several other officials at Misrata International Airport, following a foiled smuggling attempt involving nearly 100 kilograms of gold and €1.5 million in cash.
Libya’s Internal Security Agency announced on Saturday that it had successfully intercepted the smuggling operation during luggage inspections of passengers bound for Turkey at Misrata International Airport. The security agency discovered the gold in three suitcases, while the cash was hidden in one suitcase.
Photos of the seized suitcases, showing the gold bars and bundles of euros, were shared on the agency’s official Facebook page.
Misrata, a coastal city located approximately 200 kilometers east of Tripoli, has been a hot spot for smuggling activity in recent years. Authorities arrested those responsible for the smuggling attempt.
In May, the Attorney General of Tripoli issued arrest warrants for the Director General of the Customs Authority and other officials at Misrata International Airport, accusing them of conspiring to smuggle nearly 26,000 kilograms of gold.
Since the NATO-backed uprising in 2011 that toppled Muammar Gaddafi, Libya has struggled with ongoing instability, exacerbated by the split in 2014 between rival factions in the east and west of the country.
