Libyan authorities have launched a criminal investigation into the Zuwara branch of the Coast Guard, with four of its members detained over allegations of planning to smuggle 37 migrants across the Mediterranean.
The Prosecutor’s Office announced the arrests on its official Facebook page, stating that the operation followed an investigation into a shooting incident involving a Criminal Investigation Department officer.
The officer was injured by gunfire during an attempt to apprehend the suspects off the coast of Zuwara.
According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the investigation uncovered that Coast Guard officials not only orchestrated the smuggling attempt but also deliberately fired at law enforcement officers to prevent them from thwarting the operation.
Following the interrogation of the suspects, prosecutors ordered their pre-trial detention and issued warrants for additional security and military personnel believed to be involved in the trafficking network. The migrants, meanwhile, will be transferred to non-detention shelters while their cases are reviewed.
