Libyan Security Frees 50 Egyptian Migrants Held by Traffickers
Libya's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) announced on Thursday the rescue of 50 Egyptian migrants who were being held by human traffickers in two separate raids south of the Al-Azyat area. The operations were conducted by CID units based in the Green Mountain region and Qarnada.
In the first raid, officers from the Qarnada Investigation and Arrest Office freed 37 Egyptian migrants who were being held inside a warehouse operated by a human smuggling ring. According to CID, the traffickers were moving migrants illegally into Libya and detaining them in harsh conditions.
The operation followed confirmed intelligence reports identifying a hangar being used as a hub for smuggling activities. After gathering evidence and receiving approval from the Public Prosecutor, CID forces raided the site, seized six vehicles used in trafficking operations, and arrested one Libyan suspect. The suspect confessed to managing the site and provided information on the remaining members of the network, who are now being tracked down.
Victims reported that they had paid large sums of money to be smuggled into Libya and were subjected to physical abuse during their captivity. The CID provided immediate medical care and assistance to the rescued migrants and initiated legal procedures against the suspects.
In a separate operation one day earlier, CID officers discovered another warehouse about 10 kilometers south of Al-Azyat, where 23 more Egyptian migrants were being held. This operation was launched after the arrest of another smuggling suspect, who disclosed the location during interrogation.
The migrants in the second location also reported paying around 10,000 Egyptian pounds each for illegal passage into Libya and suffering violent treatment while in detention. CID confirmed the arrest of the individual responsible for managing the facility, who also admitted to smuggling charges and revealed the identities of additional accomplices still at large.
Authorities say the investigation is ongoing, and efforts continue to dismantle the remaining trafficking networks operating in the area.
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