Operation IRINI’s news site reported that a special force for the Mediterranean operation boarded the merchant ship “Medcon Sinop”, at 4:30 pm last Tuesday.
This came in implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution No.2292 of 2016 regarding the arms embargo imposed on Libya, which is scheduled to be extended until June 5 of next year.
The “Medcon Sinop”, a general cargo ship flying the flag of Panama, left from the port of “Amberli” in Turkey on October 18, on its way to the city of Misurata, and a team of the French frigate, operating in the “IRINI” operation, boarded the merchant ship in international waters, 135 nautical miles north of Benghazi.
The French frigate team examined the documents on board the plane, and randomly searched the goods inside the containers, and no suspicions were found, before the team returned to its unit and gave permission for the ship to continue the journey.
The captain and crew of the ship responded to the inspection process, which was conducted in a smooth manner, while adhering to measures to prevent the Coronavirus epidemic while boarding the ship.
It is worth noting that since May 4 this year, when Operation IRINI began its activities, patrols were carried out in the central Mediterranean, 990 calls were made, and 33 friendly approaching operations “visits on board commercial ships” were carried out.
The operation also monitored a number of suspicious ships at sea in more than 16 ports and landing points.
During the monitoring of 25 airports and airfields; the operation monitored 120 flights suspected of transporting cargo related to military activities going back and forth to Libya.
The report stressed that the main task is to ensure compliance with the arms embargo resolution in Libya according to what was issued by the UN Security Council, in addition to monitoring the illicit trade in oil from Libya, and pursuing human trafficking and smuggling activities.
