On Friday, April 10th, the Lebanese Internal Security Force (ISF) announced that they have made the biggest drug bust in the country’s history.
The transportation of about 25 tons of hashish was uncovered by the ISF before being smuggled out of Lebanon to Africa by sea.
Eight trucks loaded with thousands of plastic bags of soil were stopped for inspection upon heading to Beirut Port. According to the ISF, the hashish was professionally stashed inside the soil bags (as seen in the video below).
According to Asharq Al-Awsat, “In 2016, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime ranked Lebanon as the third main source of cannabis resin.”
While the authorities have been trying to bust drug deals and stop its production in Lebanon, “growers have fought back, protesting over a lack of alternatives for their livelihoods,” said Asharq Al-Awsat.
Someone’s response about the latest drug bust stated that hashish yields farmers about $400 per kilo in Lebanon, which means that the ISF drug bust would be worth $10 million at wholesale.
Talks of legalizing the use of marijiuana for medical purposes have been taking place, but nothing is confirmed yet.
