ISF Busts Lebanon's 'Most Dangerous' Human Trafficking, Prostitution Ring

The Internal Security Forces on Thursday announced busting what it called the “most dangerous” human trafficking and prostitution ring in Lebanon.

“Following investigations and close monitoring, the Mount Lebanon investigations department carried out a special operation and managed to unveil the identities of the members of the most dangerous human trafficking ring in Lebanon and to arrest them in the Jounieh region,” an ISF statement said.

“Seventy-five women, mostly Syrian nationals, were liberated” in the operation, the ISF added.

It said the freed women had suffered “beating and psychological and physical torture” and were “forced to work in prostitution under the threat of having their naked pictures distributed, and other tactics.”

The arrests were carried out in two separate raids on Sunday and Tuesday, the ISF added.

“Detectives raided the nightclubs and apartments where the women were being held and liberated them, arresting 10 men and eight female workers,” the ISF said.

It noted that the eight female workers were acting as “guards” and that they were “guarding and managing these apartments.”

“Two of the ring's masterminds are still on the run while the freed women were handed over to a number of NGOs at the request of the relevant judicial authorities,” the ISF said.

“Investigations are still underway to arrest the rest of the gang's members,” it added.

Y.R.