ISF busts international drug smuggling network: Lebanese sheikh arrested in Dahr al-Baidar

Among those arrested by ISF in a months long investigation on drugs smuggling, there was sheikh G.Z., who received drugs from Italian smuggler, arrested in May 17 at Beirut airport, around seven times until he was arrested on May 30 in Dahr al-Baidar.

The Internal Security Forces Monday announced on June 4, 2018 that it had arrested three people belonging to an international drug network that used bottles of spirits to smuggle cocaine into Lebanon to be sold to Lebanese dealers. The arrests were made by the ISF’s Information Branch over the past two months and came after a process of several months’ surveillance, a statement said. This enabled the unit to identify eight people belonging to an “international organization specializing in smuggling to Lebanon large amounts of cocaine, which would be mixed with liquid.” The drugs would be smuggled into the country through alcohol bottles packed in duty free bags from an international airport, the statement said. The Information Branch identified the members as follows: Italian Nationals L.R., born in 1968, and N.B., born in 1959, A.B, born in 1991, and M.A, born in 1985. It also included Brazilian nationals A.F., born in 1993, L.D., born in 1980, Argentinian K.B., born in 1966, and German M.T., born in 1975, who is believed to head the network. “It turned out that once the network’s members arrive in Lebanon, they would rent rooms in several hotels across the country and stay there for a brief period,” the statement said. “During which time they separate the cocaine from the liquid suitable to be sold to Lebanese drug dealers for hundreds of thousands of dollars.” Lebanese Y.Sh., born in 1996, is among those connected to the network. He currently has 75 warrants for his arrest for drug-related crimes and murder, and was arrested by a special unit for the Information Branch on April 5 in Mansourieh, the statement said. “During investigations with him, he admitted to heading to Beirut from his home in Bekaa to receive the drugs,” the ISF said adding that Y.Sh. confessed to using a car belonging to Lebanese Sheikh G.Z., born in 1964, who was aware of and participated in the process. Italian National L.R. was arrested at Rafik Hariri International Airport on May 17 coming from Paraguay. Three large containers with liquid and raw cocaine were seized in his possession. During investigations, L.R. confessed to having carried out 20 drug smuggling operations to Lebanon and said that among those who used to receive drugs from him were Y.Sh. and G.Z. L.R. confirmed that G.Z. received drugs from him around seven times after the latter was arrested on May 30 in Dahr al-Baidar. The ISF added that the three men were referred to the relevant judicial authorities and that work is in progress to arrest others involved in the case.