Benghazi: Narcotics and Psychotropic Control Agency seized a shipment, which it described as ‘historic,’ carrying the secrets of an international crime in Benghazi seaport.
The agency said in a statement yesterday that its security personnel, in cooperation with military units seized the largest quantity of cocaine in the country’s history, through a qualitative operation in Benghazi seaport, whose value is more than 224 million Libyan dinars.
The agency explained that the seizure came after receiving a report on February 29, 2024 from the contact point of the Saudi General Directorate of Narcotics Control, stating that there was a suspicious shipment of bananas coming from the country of Ecuador, suspected of containing a raw cocaine.
The Agency said in its statement that upon receiving the information, the Investigation Office was tasked with forming a work team to collect information, and coordinate with the prosecution and the Customs Authority, noting that the investigations showed that the shipping p
rocess was carried out in accordance with internationally approved standards.
The agency continued that the next day, the team moved to the port to open the two containers, as it became clear that they were released after they were checked and passed a health examination, but its officers returned them and passed them again through the scanner.
The statement added that when the two containers were checked by ‘trace dogs,’ an amount at approximately (128) kilograms of raw cocaine (equivalent to (640) kilograms after dilution) was found hidden inside the floor of the two containers.
The Agency revealed that following preliminary investigations, the complicity of a member of the Customs Authority was revealed, and one of the suspects was arrested.
It added that the defendants and the drugs were transferred to the Customs Authority Directorate in Benghazi Seaport, highlighting that search and investigation operations are continuing regarding the rest of the network members.
Source: Libyan News Agency
Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, on Monday received, in Bkerke,, MP Michel Douaihy, with whom he discussed the current developments locally and regionally.
Patriarch Rahi then received in Bkerke the head of the Tripoli Bar Association, Sami Al-Hassan, on top of a delegation from the Association, who paid him a protocol visit.
Discussions reportedly touched on the current general situation.
Following the visit, Al-Hassan stressed “the necessity of speeding up the election of a President of the Republic in order to regularize work in all institutions, and to preserve public liberties and freedom of expression.”
Al-Hassan added, “We also touched on the existing conflict and dispute in Qornet al-Sawda between the towns of Bsharri and Bekaa Safrin and the necessity of cooperation to end this dispute in accordance with the law and personal and tribal reconciliation in order to preserve coexistence.”
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon