Bekaa Fraud Gang Member, Car Robbery Network Head Arrested

The head of the “largest car robbery gangs” in the Bekaa was arrested on Wednesday at midnight, as security forces and army troops continue implementing a security plan in the region and the North.

"As part of the security plan implemented by Internal Security Forces in the Bekaa and after investigation and monitoring, the Bekaa Police Department managed to ambush and arrest the head of the largest car robbery gangs,” the ISF announced in a released communique.

The fugitive was detained right after he stole a Hyundai car in the Bekaa town of Doures, the statement detailed.

The detainee was identified as Lebanese national T.A., 28, and he has 31 judicial warrants against him on charges of armed car robberies and thievery.

Security forces seized the Toyota car he was driving, which turned out to have been stolen from Nouhad D. in the Dekwaneh area in Northern Metn in late January 2014, according to the statement.

"Drugs, three cell phones and stolen identification cards were also seized in the detainee's possession,” it added.

And in the eastern Bekaa Valley, State Security has arrested a member of a gang that forges documents, including passports and visas, the state-run National News Agency reported on Thursday.

NNA identified the suspect with his initials as A.G., saying he was arrested in the city of Zahle on Monday.

The gang specializes in forging identity cards, passports, driving licenses and visas, it said.

State Security is searching for the rest of the network's members, who have arrest warrants issued against them, the agency added.

Meanwhile in Beirut's southern suburbs, an army force arrested Mahdi Sobhi al-Siblani for opening fire repeatedly, and detained Nabil Imad Makkouk for possessing and smuggling illegal substance.

"Others were also detained for driving wanted cars," the military institution said in a statement.

Earlier this month, the General Security Department arrested 49 Syrians and Palestinians at the Rafik Hariri International Airport for trying to flee with forged documents.

A unit from the department handed them over to the Syrian authorities the next day.

General Security warned Arabs and foreigners, especially Syrian and Palestinian refugees, against violating residency laws and attempting to travel with forged documents.

G.K./ S.D.B.

H.K./ M.T.