Libyan authorities, in collaboration with the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), have arrested four suspected people smugglers in a series of operations targeting migrant trafficking networks.
The most significant arrest took place on 12 March in Tripoli, where a man allegedly responsible for transporting hundreds of Syrian migrants across the Mediterranean was detained. The NCA and Libyan security forces identified him as a key figure in a Syrian smuggling network that has moved at least 2,000 people into Europe. Evidence on his phone suggested that some migrants were destined for the UK.
Another suspect was arrested on 10 March in Tobruk, accused of smuggling migrants of various nationalities into Greece. In January, two further arrests took place in Sabratha. One detainee, a Sudanese national, was caught while attempting to transport 11 Iraqi Kurdish migrants to Europe. The other, a Syrian national, was suspected of organising the transportation of around 400 migrants via sea routes.
All four suspects are now facing prosecution by the Libyan Attorney General’s Office. Investigations into the wider smuggling networks remain ongoing.
Rick Jones, NCA International Deputy Director, stated: “These arrests in Libya highlight the effectiveness of international cooperation in combating organised immigration crime. People smugglers show no regard for human life, cramming migrants into unseaworthy boats, risking their lives on perilous journeys.”
The operation follows the conviction of UK-based people smuggler Ahmed Ramadan Mohamad Ebid, who organised crossings from North Africa to Italy, bringing around 3,800 migrants into Europe. His sentencing is scheduled for 19 May 2025.
