The Government of National Unity in Libya has ordered an urgent investigation after Spanish authorities intercepted a vessel carrying a cocaine shipment allegedly destined for a Libyan Port. Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah directed relevant state institutions to investigate the incident and coordinate with authorities in Spain.
According to an official letter issued by the Cabinet Office and published Wednesday, May 6, departments including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Customs Authority, and Interpol have been instructed to gather information related to the seizure.
The Government also ordered coordination with the Libyan Embassy in Madrid to monitor developments in the investigation and pursue the necessary legal procedures.
Authorities said the case would be treated with “utmost seriousness” as part of efforts to combat organized crime and prevent Libya from being used as a destination or transit route for international drug trafficking. The cocaine shipment was intercepted in the Atlantic Ocean by Spanish authorities while the vessel was reportedly heading towards Libya.
The Benghazi-Bound Ship seized by the Spanish Civil Guard was carrying 40 Tons of Cocaine. It was intercepted in international waters off the Canary Islands. The ship had departed from Freetown, Sierra Leone, and was heading to Benghazi, Libya.
Spain’s Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska called the seizure “one of the biggest seizures, not only nationally but internationally.” Investigators believe the drugs were not actually destined for Libya, but were to be transferred onto smaller vessels for European distribution. Around 20 people were arrested in the operation.
