Libya's Fuel Smuggling Scandal: A $20 Billion Heist at the Expense of Its People
A new report by the investigative body Sentry has revealed a shocking $20 billion fuel smuggling scandal in Libya, which has drained the country's treasury over the past three years. The scale of the heist is staggering, with more than half of the imported refined petrol being sold on the black market at enormous profits.
The scheme, which was orchestrated by politicians and security leaders who claim to serve the public, involved swapping Libyan crude oil for imported fuel and reselling it abroad at vast profit. The report claims that these officials, often backed by foreign states, have systematically pillaged Libya's primary revenue source, leaving the country's people with little to no benefit from their government.
The NOC, one of the few state bodies in Libya that spans the east-west divisions, introduced a system where Libyan crude oil was swapped for imported refined fuel. However, instead of being consumed in the Libyan market at subsidized prices, it was resold abroad at massive profits. The report states that more than 50% of the imported refined petrol has been sold by criminal networks, depriving Libya of crucial revenue.
The scale of the smuggling is staggering, with $6.7 billion worth of fuel smuggled out of the country in 2024 alone. This amount is sufficient to triple Libya's spending on healthcare and education. The report also claims that the fuel smuggling has caused domestic shortages, forcing citizens to pay much higher prices at unofficial outlets.
The NOC's chairman, Farhat Bengdara, defended his tenure, stating that he remained transparent and proactive in his cooperation with national institutions and international organizations. However, Sentry's report suggests that Bengdara's efforts were merely a smokescreen for the true extent of the fuel smuggling scandal.
The report calls for a Western-backed investigation into the Libyan oil officials at the heart of the fuel-smuggling enterprise and for international help to ensure Libya's own investigative bodies identify those who have stolen funds from the Libyan people. The scale of the scandal is so vast that it demands decisive action, including international sanctions against those responsible.
Libya's fuel smuggling scandal is a stark reminder of the country's ongoing instability and corruption. As Sentry's report highlights, the true extent of the problem cannot be ignored, and it is imperative that the international community takes swift action to hold those responsible accountable.
A new report by the investigative body Sentry has revealed a shocking $20 billion fuel smuggling scandal in Libya, which has drained the country's treasury over the past three years. The scale of the heist is staggering, with more than half of the imported refined petrol being sold on the black market at enormous profits.
The scheme, which was orchestrated by politicians and security leaders who claim to serve the public, involved swapping Libyan crude oil for imported fuel and reselling it abroad at vast profit. The report claims that these officials, often backed by foreign states, have systematically pillaged Libya's primary revenue source, leaving the country's people with little to no benefit from their government.
The NOC, one of the few state bodies in Libya that spans the east-west divisions, introduced a system where Libyan crude oil was swapped for imported refined fuel. However, instead of being consumed in the Libyan market at subsidized prices, it was resold abroad at massive profits. The report states that more than 50% of the imported refined petrol has been sold by criminal networks, depriving Libya of crucial revenue.
The scale of the smuggling is staggering, with $6.7 billion worth of fuel smuggled out of the country in 2024 alone. This amount is sufficient to triple Libya's spending on healthcare and education. The report also claims that the fuel smuggling has caused domestic shortages, forcing citizens to pay much higher prices at unofficial outlets.
The NOC's chairman, Farhat Bengdara, defended his tenure, stating that he remained transparent and proactive in his cooperation with national institutions and international organizations. However, Sentry's report suggests that Bengdara's efforts were merely a smokescreen for the true extent of the fuel smuggling scandal.
The report calls for a Western-backed investigation into the Libyan oil officials at the heart of the fuel-smuggling enterprise and for international help to ensure Libya's own investigative bodies identify those who have stolen funds from the Libyan people. The scale of the scandal is so vast that it demands decisive action, including international sanctions against those responsible.
Libya's fuel smuggling scandal is a stark reminder of the country's ongoing instability and corruption. As Sentry's report highlights, the true extent of the problem cannot be ignored, and it is imperative that the international community takes swift action to hold those responsible accountable.
they're talkin 'bout a 20 billion dollar heist at the expense of its people lol what kinda politics is this? officials involved in fuel smuggling makin huge profits while citizens are left with nothin 
it's so sad to see. nooc chairman tryna spin this but sentry's report says otherwise 
international sanctions for those responsible, i'm all 4 it 
$20 billion fuel smuggling scandal in Libya? That's insane! 
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. But for Libya, it seems like no one cares. It's just another example of how corrupt institutions can be. The NOC chairman trying to spin this as transparent and proactive is just laughable 
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and it's not just about the money, it's about the impact on daily life too... fuel shortages & prices skyrocketing = bad for everyone 
so yeah gotta take action here. international sanctions would be a good start 
no more profiteering off ppl's suffering! 
- once you start peeling back the layers, you realize just how deep it goes! And let's talk about accountability, folks... who gets held accountable when billions are siphoned off? It's like they say, "Follow the money," and in this case, the money trail leads straight to some very powerful people 
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It's time to get serious about fighting corruption, and that means holding everyone accountable, regardless of who they are or where they're from. I'm all for supporting Libya's efforts to clean up the mess, but let's not forget, this is just another symptom of a larger problem - a system that allows greed and corruption to run rampant 
. Give me a break! If the man's involved in fuel smuggling, he should be facing some serious consequences, not deflecting blame onto everyone else. We need transparency and accountability, pronto! 
. The report says international sanctions might be necessary, which makes sense to me. If people are stealing from their own country, they need to face consequences for what they've done.
It seems like a lot of corrupt people have taken advantage of the country's instability to steal from its own citizens. International sanctions would be a good start, but I think it's also essential to support Libya in finding ways to recover some of that stolen money and restore trust in their government 
That's enough to triple Libya's healthcare and education spending. 
It's time to hold these corrupt officials accountable for their actions.
this fuel smuggling is killing them, literally draining their resources and leaving them with nothing. whats next?
The NOC chairman's defense just rings hollow - transparency and cooperation are one thing, but when it comes down to it, he's part of the problem too.
. It's time to hold them accountable 
, about time someone takes a hard look at who's behind this massive scandal. 6.7 billion in fuel smuggled out alone? that's like tripledin' Libya's healthcare budget 
gotta make sure those responsible get held acountable 
this scandal is like, total chaos 
and we need to see some real change happen ASAP 
. And what really gets me is that this fuel smuggling has caused domestic shortages and made citizens pay more at unofficial outlets 
but seriously, it's a massive heist that's leaving the Libyan people with nothing. and the fact that nooc is involved too makes me think there's more to this story than what's being said 
this whole thing is just heartbreaking, i mean think about all those ppl in libya who r struggling to get by & they're being ripped off by their own gov officials. $20 billion is like, a huge sum of money... 