Financial Crime World

Libya’s Skyrocketing Financial Crimes: A Close Look at the Stats

According to the 2023 Global Crime Index report, Libya has emerged as a major hotspot for financial crimes. Let’s take a closer look at thestats.

Libya’s Ranking in the Global Crime Index

  • Libyaranked second in the Arab world, ninth in Africa, and 28th globally in the 2023 Global Crime Index report.
  • Its crime index stood at 60.2 out of 100, marking a significant deterioration in safety and security.

A Worsening Crime Prevalence

The Global Crime Index revealed that Libya has been grappling with an escalating crisis. Over the past few years, crime prevalence has been on the rise and coincides with the following issues:

  • Killings and executions in western Libya
  • The spread of armed militias
  • Persistent airstrikes in these areas

Tripoli: A City in Turmoil

Residents of Tripoli, Libya’scapital city, live in fear of:

  • Kidnapping
  • Murder

Violent crimes like kidnappings, arrests, and assassinations have surged in western Libya, leading to a constant deterioration of safety in Tripoli.

Arrests and Unidentified Perpetrators

The Ministry of Interior has made public statements about the arrest of criminal gangs and individuals involved in kidnapping and extortion of expatriate workers. However, the security situation remains a cause for concern as many perpetrators go unidentified.

Recent High-Profile Crimes

  • In October 2022, the Head of the Zaher Al-Jabal Police Station, Abdel-Salam Abdullah Abdel-Nabi, was assassinated by unknown gunmen.
  • Only days before, another policeman lost his life in the same city.

Organized Crime Prevalence

Libya ranked fourth in the Arab world and 20th globally in terms of the highest levels of organized crime. Indicators onthe following were considered in the analysis of organized crime:

  • Human trafficking
  • Money laundering
  • Drug trafficking
  • Crimes related to animal and plant life
  • Human smuggling
  • Arms trade

Struggling Against Organized Crime

Libya earned the last place worldwide in terms of resilience against organized crime. Key findings from the report include:

  • The proliferation of weapons, which has resulted in murder becoming an all-too-common occurrence
  • Over 173 people lost their lives due to extrajudicial killings in 2022 alone

Crime Rates in Libya

According to Numbeo’s crime index database, Libya ranks:

  • First in North Africa
  • Third in the Arab world
  • 25th globally

With a recorded 60.5% crime rate and a 39% safety rate. Crime rates in Libya have been on an upward trend since 2015, with the lowest recorded being 54% and the worst recorded being 70%.

The escalating crime situation in Libya poses a pressing challenge that requires immediate intervention from local authorities and the international community.