The Prosecutor General's Office has launched criminal proceedings into a scam with a batch of cars that was to be shipped to Libya, but didn't reach the customer.

As a result of a pre-trial investigation, two suspects have been identified and put on the wanted list, the PGO's press service has told Interfax-Ukraine.

According to the press service, Kyiv Pechersky District Court on August 1 issued a warrant for the detention of these people in order to bring them, at the request of the prosecutor's office, into custody as a preventive measure.

It was not reported whether the suspects are citizens of Ukraine.

The PGO estimates the damages from the fraud involving the cars at more than $20 million.

On July 17, 2013, the Etel, a ship flying the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis, whose crew consists of 19 Ukrainian citizens, was seized in the Libyan port of Benghazi by unidentified gunmen. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry passed a note to Libya's charge d'affaires in Ukraine regarding the seizure of this ship, demanding that it be immediately released.

Those who seized the vessel stated that they were protecting the interests of 25 Libyan businessmen who were robbed by the owner of the Etel (the issue concerns nearly 600 cars worth about $9.5 million). The ship was allegedly to transport the cars from Jordan to Benghazi. But local businessmen claimed that the cars were unloaded in Ukraine, not at the point of destination.

A number of media later circulated reports that the Libyans had demanded the return of the cars or payment of their value as a condition for the release of the Ukrainian sailors.

On July 31, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Kostiantyn Hryschenko went on a working visit to Libya. The protection of the interests and safety of Ukrainian citizens who are in that country was a major topic of discussion during the visit.