109 illegal immigrants were intercepted Wednesday in the city of Surman, 60km to the west of Tripoli. The immigrants were caught hiding in a truck carrying washing powders at a checkpoint for the Automated Inspection Office of Libyan Customs Authority.

The truck driver, identified as Ali Al-Ajnaf, admitted he was on his way from Tripoli to Sabratha to transport the illegal immigrants to a human smuggler, who was expected to facilitate their journey to Europe.

Libya has been hit with a huge influx of immigrants with hundreds of sub-Saharan African immigrants invade the country every month to collect money and wait for an opportunity to cross the Mediterranean into Europe, while local authorities are enhancing efforts to combat this invading waves of illegal immigrants.