# Operation ‘Irini’ intercepts Libyan bound ship carrying military vehicles

- Link: https://www.military.africa/2022/07/operation-irini-intercepts-libyan-bound-ship-carrying-military-vehicles/
- Published: 2022-07-28T12:09:19+01:00
- Author: Darek Liam

The European Union mission to enforce the United Nations (UN) arms embargo on Libya
announced for the first time on 20 July that it had found proscribed equipment on
a ship that it had searched.

[Operation ‘Irini’](https://www.military.africa/2020/04/eu-launches-new-naval-mission-irini-to-enforce-libyan-arms-embargo/)
said a French naval aircraft spotted the vehicle carrier Victory Roro after it transited
the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean. The ship was monitored by the Greek frigate
Themistoklis before the Italian frigate Grecale took over to conduct a search on
18 July.

> [EU launches naval mission “Operation Irini” to enforce Libyan arms embargo](https://www.military.africa/2020/04/eu-launches-new-naval-mission-irini-to-enforce-libyan-arms-embargo/)

The Victory Roro inspection was the 24th executed by the European Union (EU) naval
task force deployed under Operation Irini.

Victory Roro, flying the Equatorial Guinea flag and under her previous name, was
identified by a UN panel of experts on Libya as delivering military vehicles to 
the north African country in March.

ADVERTISEMENT

“During the inspection, the team identified dozens of vehicles designed or modified
for military use and thus assessed to be in violation of the UN arms embargo on 
Libya,” it said. “[Operation ‘Irini](https://www.military.africa/2020/04/eu-launches-new-naval-mission-irini-to-enforce-libyan-arms-embargo/)‘
seized the vehicles violating the UN arms embargo on Libya and is now diverting 
the ship to a European port for further proceedings.”

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

It said that the UN Panel of Experts on Libya said the same vessel operating under
the name Luccello delivered military vehicles to Libya in March 2022.

The inspection, conducted by Italian Navy frigate ITS Grecale (F571), of the cargo
vessel MV Victory Roro (previously MV Luccello) after she was located by a French
maritime patrol aircraft, brought to light “dozens of vehicles designed or modified
for military use and assessed to be in violation of the UN arms embargo on Libya”
according to an Operation Irini communique. In accordance with a UN Security Council
resolution and its mandate, Operation Irini seized the vehicles violating the arms
embargo and diverted the ship to a European port for further proceedings.

### _Related_