Failed Attempt to Smuggle Captagon Pills Leads to Busting 6 Rings Active in the Illegal Trade

Six rings specialized in smuggling Captagon pills have been uncovered after security forces thwarted an attempt to smuggle a quantity of the illegal substance via the Rafik Hariri International Airport, the Internal Security Forces announced on Saturday.

"The inspection unit at the airport managed to thwart an attempt to smuggle over 8,200 Captagon pills that weighed around one kilo and a half on July 20,” the ISF General Directorate announced on Saturday.

The ISF statement noted that the narcotic pills were in the possession of Syrian passenger Aa.D., 26, adding that he had planned to smuggle them to an Arab country.

The relevant court referred the arrested man along with the seized pills to the central anti-drug bureau and after intense investigation and interrogation with the detainee, six rings specialized in smuggling Captagon were uncovered.

The busted rings work independently and are ran by over 35 active members, the ISF said.

"Probe also allowed uncovering many details regarding how these rings worked, starting from manufacturing the pills, packaging, and smuggling them,” according to the ISF statement.

The anti-drug bureau was then able to locate the whereabouts of six people involved in these rings, and managed to arrest them in different regions throughout Lebanon.

The statement identified the arrested men as A.M., 50, F.Aa., 38, T.Z., 41, and Syrian nationals Z.A., 31, J.A., 29 and Gh.D., 34.

Security forces also seized over 17,000 Captagon pills in their possession.

"Efforts are ongoing to arrest their partners in cooperation with authorities in countries where these pills were being smuggled to,” the ISF said.

S.D.B.