The Maltese government seized $1.1 billion of Libyan currency printed by the Russian company “Goznak” at the request of the Central Bank in Al-Bayda.
In the first international reaction to the move, the United States praised the seizure of the currency, which it described as “fraudulent.”
US State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagos said in a statement that the central bank in Tripoli is the only official authority in Libya.
The United States of America warned of the influx of the Libyan currency forged in Russia in recent years and the exacerbation of the country’s economic challenges.
The US State Department attacked the authorities in Russia, saying that this incident once again highlights the need for Russia to stop its malign and destabilizing actions in Libya.
