Libya dismantles illegal gold mining network
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Libyan authorities successfully disbanded an illicit gold mining network operating in the southern desert, involving individuals from China, Chad, and Niger. Led by a Libyan figure, the network engaged in unauthorized gold mining activities across four desert locations, without official approval.
The Prosecutor’s Office disclosed that Chinese, Chadian, and Nigerien nationals, residing unlawfully in Libya, participated in the gold extraction. Security services apprehended five suspects, including a Libyan and four foreigners.
Photos released by the Prosecutor’s Office reveal expansive rectangular pits in the desert, akin to Olympic swimming pools, containing seized black and gold metal nuggets and ingots.
Notably, gold panning is uncommon in Libya, a predominantly oil-driven nation where vast desert expanses pose challenges for effective monitoring.
This incident follows the dismantling of an undercover cryptocurrency mining network in western Libya earlier this summer, resulting in the arrest of numerous Chinese nationals engaged in illegal activities.
Libya, marked by turmoil since Muammar Gaddafi’s downfall in 2011, currently witnesses power struggles between two competing factions based in Tripoli and the eastern region.