Libya’s Criminal Investigation Department in the eastern border town of Emsaed has intercepted a major migrant smuggling operation, arresting those involved and rescuing dozens of irregular migrants who were preparing to cross the Mediterranean towards Greece.
According to official statements, officers carried out a security operation in the Bir Al-Ashhab area that led to the arrest of several Libyan suspects accused of organising maritime smuggling activities. During the raid, authorities found 76 irregular migrants of Egyptian, Bangladeshi and Sudanese nationalities, who had been held in warehouses under harsh conditions for more than two months.
The statement said the operation followed precise intelligence indicating that the migrants were being detained for nearly 70 days while smugglers prepared a boat to transport them illegally by sea. After careful surveillance, a coordinated raid was launched, resulting in the seizure of a marine vessel that was ready to depart towards Greek shores.
The migrants were transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department’s headquarters in Emsaed, where legal procedures were initiated. Authorities confirmed that the migrants received medical checks and humanitarian assistance in line with Libyan laws and established protocols for handling irregular migration cases.
Officials described the operation as a significant blow to human smuggling networks operating along Libya’s eastern coastline, particularly near border areas used as launch points for dangerous sea crossings. They stressed that such criminal groups continue to exploit vulnerable migrants by detaining them and exposing them to life-threatening journeys across the Mediterranean.
Libyan security agencies have intensified efforts to combat migrant smuggling and human trafficking, amid growing regional and international concern over irregular migration routes originating from Libya. Authorities say operations like the one in Emsaed demonstrate a commitment to dismantling smuggling networks, securing coastal areas, and reducing the loss of life at sea.
The Criminal Investigation Department reiterated its call for continued cooperation between security institutions to confront organised crime and protect both national security and human lives.
