Migrants fooled into believing Tripoli outskirts was Malta
100 migrants paid money believing a Libyan captain would take them to Malta when instead he took them to the other side of Tripoli.
A group of migrants who paid Libyan fraudsters to flee Libya were dropped on 'Maltese shores' only to discover they had got no further than the other side of Tripoli, the Libya Herald has reported.
The migrants were conned into believing they would be taken to Malta.
The newspaper reports that a group of 100 irregular migrants set sail from Tajura, the departure point for many trying to reach Europe, The vessel, piloted by a Libyan captain, headed out to sea and sailed all night until the migrants were told they had reached Maltese shores.
In reality, the captain had sailed to the other side of Tripoli, just 26km away from where they had started. The migrants were later stopped by the Libyan illegal immigration department.
"It is not that surprising that they thought it was Malta, because out at sea during the night, you cannot see your surroundings," the Libya Herald was told. "Even if migrants do become suspicious, they have no choice but to go with that person... once the money is paid, they can't change their minds. "