Fisherman Paul Piscopo to be investigated on fuel smuggling after Judge refuses bid to have Customs return seized vesselA court has ordered a police investigation into the smuggling of fuel by a fishing operator, after an unsuccessful bid for the release of his boat when it was seized by Customs.Paul Piscopo, owner of Dimitra Fishing Company, had his boat Dimitra seized in July 2013 by Customs officers. The operation led to the seizure of four vessels with undeclared diesel on board. Thirteen crew members, including Piscopo, the only Maltese on board, were arrested after 11,000 litres of diesel were found on the vessel. The fuel was confiscated.A month later on 8 April, the Panamanian-registered Levante was stopped in Libyan waters and diverted to Tripoli. According to the Libyan Herald, McManus reportedly admitted to charges of smuggling fuel and of their involvement in various other trips in which fuel was smuggled to Malta.

Source: Libya Today October 31, 2017 15:56 UTC