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UN report cites numerous sources of illegal funding for Libyan militias
[Libya Herald] A UN report has concluded that ’’a variety of sources of funding are available to (Libyan) gangs’’, assessing that there are ’’four important sources of funding: fuel smuggling, trafficking in persons, interference with institutions and the local arms trade. Previous findings on income from other criminal activities and State financing remain relevant’’, the report said.The report names Zawia’s coasties as active participants in fuel smuggling and names a Zawia militia and its leaders. It also names people smugglers and details the involvement of sophisticated international cross-border smuggling and finance rings in the smuggling process. With regards to arms smuggling the report says weapons materiel offered includes heavier and more sophisticated systems. It gives the example of a functioning Milan anti-tank system including four missiles being available for US$ 9,000. In some cases, it adds, fighters and arms are on offer together as a package. It concludes that smuggling occurs virtually uncontested because of the lack of reliable security forces. The conclusions were made by the 299-page UN Libya Experts Panel report 2017 released in the first week of June. In its assessment of fuel smuggling by sea as a source of income for Libyan militias, the report stated that ’’the National Oil Corporation decided to work actively against fuel smuggling. Brega Petroleum, a subsidiary of the Corporation, established an "Oil and Oil Derivatives Oversight Committee" to investigate the problem. Its findings led the Corporation to take action against some companies and individuals in early 2017’’. ’’In fact, the Corporation has accused the Petroleum Facilities Guard in the refinery in Zawiya of participating in fuel smuggling operations. The Panel continues to observe vessels showing suspicious navigational patterns in the vicinity of the coastal town of Zuwara. Individuals and companies mentioned in previous reports are still. In 2016, the Libyan coastguard impounded several ships in the same area in incidents related to fuel smuggling’’. Posted by: Fred 2017-06-15 |
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