TRIPOLI, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Libyan authorities announced on Friday the destruction of over 5 million narcotic pills.

The Combat 444 Brigade, under the supervision of the Attorney General, seized those pills during operations against smuggling networks and organized crimes, the brigade said in a statement published on its Facebook page.

The brigade said the operations are part of its ongoing efforts to combat all crimes, with a particular focus on the drug trade, which undermines social security and threatens the future of the nation's youth.

In 2024, the Libyan Anti-Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Agency seized up to 8 million narcotic pills and large amounts of cocaine and heroin.

Libya, torn by years of political instability and armed conflict, has struggled to control widespread drug trafficking, which has become a lucrative business for armed groups and criminal syndicates operating in the region. ■