Lebanon Seizes Syria-Bound Narcotic Pills from India

Authorities at Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport have foiled an attempt to smuggle over a million narcotic pills to Syria via Lebanon, the Internal Security Forces said.

“We obtained information that a group of individuals was seeking to smuggle a large quantity of Tramadol narcotic pills from India into Lebanon through the Rafik Hariri International Airport with the ultimate objective of smuggling them into Syria,” an ISF statement said on Saturday.

“On August 29 and following intensive investigations, the Central Anti-Narcotics Bureau of the Judicial Police managed to thwart the aforementioned operation in coordination with the Airport Security Apparatus,” the ISF added.

“1,050,000 Tramadol pills were seized inside 21 boxes,” the ISF said, valuing the confiscated shipment at around five million dollars.

Two people were eventually arrested in connection with the case.

“They were lured to downtown Beirut on August 31,” the ISF said, identifying them as 24-year-old Lebanese national M. A. and 23-year-old Lebanese national W. H.

“A 12mm Colt pistol was seized in the possession of the latter,” the ISF added.

An investigation got underway under the supervision of the relevant judicial authorities and efforts are ongoing to arrest the rest of the culprits, it said.