Two former workers of the Worldwide Civil Aviation Group (ICAO) in Montreal have been charged with conspiracy for facilitating the unlawful sale of Chinese language drones and army gear destined for Libya, in line with an RCMP investigation.
One of many accused, who’s from Ste-Catherine, Que., is anticipated to seem on the Montreal courthouse on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. ET. He was arrested at his residence Tuesday morning, RCMP Sgt. Charles Poirier confirmed.
Poirier says the person’s alleged confederate is a Libyan nationwide and remains to be wished by police. Interpol has issued a crimson discover for his arrest. He’s accused of utilizing a scheme to hide army gear sellers and consumers.
Gear concerned within the scheme embody drones that resemble “a small airplane that may carry missiles,” in addition to management and command platforms to function the drones, Poirier mentioned.
“This gear is topic to UN sanctions associated to Libya and due to this fact can’t be offered to Libya,” he mentioned.
Chinese language interference in Libya
Poirier mentioned the present investigative principle means that China would have benefited from the deal by supporting the faction of Libyan Nationwide Military commander Khalifa Haftar.
“We’re principally taking a look at a case of Chinese language interference in Libya,” Poirier mentioned. “All of it boils all the way down to actions in Canada that have been made to facilitate that deal.”
As a part of the conspiracy, the Quebec man allegedly “conspired to facilitate the purchases of Libyan oil between prohibited entities and the Individuals’s Republic of China,” a information launch from the RCMP printed Tuesday reads.
“We’re speaking tens of millions of barrels [of crude oil] that may have been leaving Libya to go to China,” Poirier mentioned.
He added that the lads “definitely met at ICAO” whereas they each loved diplomatic immunity.
Had the deal gone via, each of the accused would have obtained a number of tens of millions of {dollars} in fee monthly.
They’re each charged below the United Nations Act and its Rules Implementing the United Nations Resolutions and Imposing Particular Financial Measures on Libya.
