Seperate arms smuggling attempts, foiled along the Lebanese-Syrian border.
On Saturday night, the Syrian News Channel al-Ekhbaria reported, citing a Syrian security source, that internal security forces in the Nabek area of rural Damascus seized a shipment of weapons that was intended to be smuggled into Lebanon. Meanwhile, Lebanon's State Security announced on Sunday that it arrested a person wanted for trafficking in military weapons.
"In implementation of plans aimed at curbing arms trafficking, (...) a patrol (...) arrested a Lebanese national [M. T.] who is wanted under several judicial warrants for trafficking in military weapons, shooting, throwing hand grenades, and theft", the State Security statement reads.
"A search of his home yielded military equipment, wireless devices, a large quantity of hashish, and counterfeit U.S. $100 bills", the statement adds.
The Lebanese Army has been heavily deployed at the border between the two countries after the fall of the regime, in an attempt to address issues related to the border's porosity, in the fight against smuggling and trafficking on Lebanon's northern and eastern borders.
With the fall of Assad regime, Hezbollah lost one of its arms importation routes from Iran, which used to pass through Syria.
Army units, supported by patrols from the Intelligence Directorate, raided the homes of wanted individuals in the towns of Khodr (Baalbek) and Sheikh Ayash (Akkar), arresting citizens (A.H.) and (H.Sh.) for multiple crimes including kidnapping, arms trafficking, and shooting. A quantity of weapons, ammunition, and military gear was seized in their possession.
In a separate operation in Hay El Sellom, Beirut's southern suburbs, an Intelligence Directorate patrol arrested Syrian national (M.J.) and Lebanese citizens (H.H.) and (N.H.) for drug use, drug dealing, and shooting. Weapons and ammunition were also found in their possession.
The confiscated items were handed over, and investigations are underway under the supervision of the competent judiciary.
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