Libya’s Stabilisation Support Agency (SSA) has successfully dismantled an international criminal network involved in organising illegal migration routes through Libya to Europe. According to an official statement posted on the SSA’s Facebook page, the operation led to the arrest of key members of the smuggling ring.
The SSA revealed that the trafficking network operated offices in Bangladesh, where they recruited irregular migrants. These migrants were flown into Libya via Benghazi’s Benina International Airport after paying substantial sums to the smugglers. Once they arrived in Libya, the migrants were transported to Tripoli, where preparations were made for their illegal sea crossings to Europe.
Authorities confirmed the arrest of three individuals connected to the network, including two Bangladeshi nationals. During interrogation, the suspects confessed to arranging a group of 17 Bangladeshi migrants for transportation to the coastal city of Zuwara. There, they were set to meet the head of the smuggling operation, identified as a Libyan national, who was planning to send them across the Mediterranean in boats bound for Europe.
The SSA reported that legal action has been initiated against those arrested. The suspects have been referred to the Public Prosecutor’s office, which has ordered their detention for six days pending further investigation.
Libyan authorities continue to intensify efforts to combat human trafficking and illegal migration networks operating within and beyond the country’s borders. Libya remains a key transit point for migrants seeking to reach Europe, often at great personal risk and in dangerous conditions.
The SSA reiterated its commitment to pursuing criminal groups involved in exploiting vulnerable migrants and working to prevent the country from being used as a hub for illegal migration.
