Customs officers at Mitiga International Airport have successfully intercepted an attempt to smuggle €495,000 out of Libya, preventing one of the largest recent currency-smuggling operations through the capital’s airport.
The money was seized from a Libyan passenger who was preparing to travel to Istanbul on a Libyan Wings flight.
The cash was discovered during security and customs inspections carried out by officers from the Mitiga Customs Center in coordination with the Anti-Smuggling and Narcotics Department of the Customs Authority. Officials stated that the large amount of undeclared foreign currency indicated a deliberate effort to bypass Libyan financial regulations and move funds illegally outside the country.
Following the seizure, customs personnel completed all initial legal procedures and documented the case. The file will now be referred to the competent judicial authorities, who will investigate the origin of the money, examine potential links to illegal activities, and determine whether violations of currency-control laws or anti-smuggling regulations occurred.
The Customs Authority emphasized that this operation forms part of its continued efforts to combat the illegal transport of money, foreign currency, and contraband through airports, border crossings, and seaports. Officials stressed that preventing such smuggling attempts is crucial to protecting Libya’s fragile economy, safeguarding public funds, and curbing activities that may be connected to money laundering or the financing of illicit networks.
Libyan authorities have recorded a growing number of attempted currency-smuggling operations in recent years, largely driven by economic instability and exchange-rate distortions.
