The Maltese-chartered MV Azzurra, which had been detained in Libya for three weeks, left Tripoli yesterday afternoon following Prime Minster Lawrence Gonzi’s intervention.

A customs official was present as Azzurra arrived

The ship had been held in port following contraband claims by powerful Libyan businessman Jalal Husni Bey that it was being used to smuggle goods into the country. However, no illegal items were found aboard.

Three Maltese members of the ship’s international crew had flown out to Malta last week while another two are still on board.

Dr Gonzi spoke to Libyan Prime Minister Abdurrahim El-Keib and a number of meetings were held between Foreign Affairs Minister Tonio Borg and the transitional Libyan authorities, the ministry said in a statement yesterday.

In a letter dated March 28 and sent to several Libyan ministers and customs officials, Mr Bey had said cars “loaded with goods and with Maltese registration plates leave the ship and enter the country without any control... then drive around Tripoli freely and distribute their goods to traders and markets”.

However, the shipping agent denied these claims, saying a Libyan customs official was present as the Azzurra arrived at and left Tripoli, and that his crew were not even allowed to disembark upon arrival, let alone drive off.