Customs Confiscate Equipment Used in Manufacturing Narcotics

Lebanese customs at Beirut Port thwarted on Wednesday an attempt to smuggle equipment that produce narcotic pills.

“The machines arrived in containers last week at the port from china,” acting director-general of the Customs Administration Shafiq Merhi said in a press conference.

He pointed out that the equipment were initially assumed to be motorcycle parts, however, the customs and the anti-drug bureau exposed the plot.

“The machines are used to establish an integrated factory for the manufacturing of narcotic pills,” Merhi told reporters.

He noted that the equipment produce captagon, cocaine, and heroin.

“Five suspects were detained and we are still pursuing three others,” Merhi added.

He said that the case will be referred to the anti-drug bureau at the Internal Security Forces.

“We will remain vigilant to thwart any smuggling attempts to protect our community from the toxic and lethal plagues,” Merhi stressed.

Meanwhile, ISF guards at Roumieh prison seized on Wednesday around 800 grams of hashish that belong to two siblings, the National News Agency reported.

According to NNA, guards at the jail located a water barrel that contained under it 800 grams of hashish, DVDs and two cellular phones.

The report said that the possessions belong to two siblings, who were identified by their initials.

Roumieh, the oldest and largest of Lebanon's overcrowded prisons, has witnessed sporadic prison breaks in recent years and escalating riots over the past months as inmates living in poor conditions demand better treatment.