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Conflict Incident Report

Lebanon police bust human trafficking ring

Date of incident: 
April 15, 2017
Death toll: 
0persons
Number of Injured: 
0persons
Actors/Parties Involved: 
Internal Security Forces (ISF)
Syrian Civilians/Refugees

BEIRUT: Police busted a human trafficking ring north of Beirut, the Internal Security Forces said.

A unit from the ISF’s Information Branch arrested a suspect driving a minibus in the Nahr al-Mott area.

Syrian H.J., 33, had an arrest warrant against him on charges of smuggling foreigners.

His compatriot, Aa.M., 32, was also arrested during the operation.

During questioning, the two suspects confessed to arranging for a number of Syrians to be smuggled into Lebanon in exchange for cash in an operation that was going to be carried out soon.

The ISF unit later in the day managed to thwart the smuggling attempt based on the information they obtained from the suspects.

In Nahr al-Mott, the unit arrested a suspect identified as R.Aa., who was carrying a fake driver’s license and driving a minibus that with a fake license plate.

Seven Syrians, who did not have proof that they were in Lebanon legally, were also found in the bus, which was heading to Jdeideh's Rweissat.

The seven Syrians allegedly admitted to entering Lebanon illegally.

The Lebanese government estimates that around 1.5 million Syrian refugees live in unofficial camps around the country in deteriorating economic conditions – from which Lebanon was already suffering prior to the refugee crisis.

This security incident was mapped according to the closest possible location.
Primary category: 
Arrest/Detention
Secondary Category: 
Illicit Trade/Trafficking/Smuggling
Classification of conflict (primary): 
Border conflicts (Syrian border)
Violations, disputes and/or conflicts arising between rival armed groups along the Lebanese/Syrian borders which involve parties or militant groups from the Lebanese and Syrian side in both Lebanon and Syria. These conflicts also encompass transnational groups (such as faith-based regional groups, e.g. ISIS, al-Nusra Front) that cannot be considered as strictly Syrian, Lebanese or of any other national entity.
Classification of conflict(secondary):
Individual acts of violence
Violent incidents which do not have a specific or a known political agenda but are caused by the general proliferation of weapons, of trained and untrained soldiers or militants, by the general inefficiency of the Justice system, and past-traditions and histories of violence within society.