In a significant operation, Libyan authorities have successfully dismantled an illegal gold mining network operating in the southern Libyan desert. The network, led by a Libyan individual, engaged in gold mining activities without proper authorisation and violated regulations, conducting operations at four sites across the desert.
The Prosecutor’s Office revealed that the network employed Chinese, Chadian, and Nigerien nationals who were staying illegally in Libya. The operation resulted in the arrest of five suspects, including a Libyan and four foreign nationals. Photographs released by the Prosecutor’s Office depict large rectangular pools, resembling Olympic swimming pools, excavated in the desert, along with nuggets and ingots of black and gold metal seized as evidence.
Gold mining is not a widespread practice in Libya, a country predominantly known for its vast oil resources, where the desert covers more than two-thirds of the land. The difficulty of monitoring such remote areas has made it challenging to regulate and curb illegal mining activities.
This incident follows a trend of illicit activities being uncovered in Libya, as earlier this summer, authorities dismantled a clandestine cryptocurrency mining network operating in the western part of the country. In that operation, numerous Chinese nationals involved in illegal cryptocurrency mining were apprehended.
Libya has faced ongoing challenges and political turmoil since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The current scenario involves two rival executives, with one based in the capital Tripoli and the other in the eastern part of the country, competing for control and power. The discovery of illegal gold mining activities highlights the complexities faced by Libyan authorities in maintaining regulatory oversight across vast and often challenging terrains.