The Interior Minister, Bassam Mawlawi, revealed on Tuesday that a new shipment of Captagon pills hidden inside 7 tons of tea bags had been seized on its way to Togo, Africa, “before reaching the Arab Gulf.”
Mawlawi said in a tweet that, according to the Lebanese Internal Security Forces (ISF), the shipment was meant for Saudi Arabia.
“I assure everyone and our Arab brothers that exposing the networks is evidence of the seriousness of our work, and we will never compromise in preventing the export of harm to them,” he stressed.
He saluted the Information Division in the General Directorate of the ISF for the successful operation in thwarting the smuggling attempt.
Ever since Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic and economic ties with Lebanon, following the incident of George Kordahi’s controversial statements, Lebanon has been on “damage control” mode with the Saudi Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia has stated back then that the smuggling of drugs from Lebanon into the kingdom is one of the main reasons for cutting the trade ties.
That decision has had major consequences on Lebanon, its agriculture, and its economy, since Saudi Arabia was, until then, a major recipient of Lebanon’s agricultural exports.
Ever since then, the Information Division of the ISF has been actively endeavoring to stop any attempt of smuggling towards the Arab Gulf.
Just last month, the ISF made a major seizure at the Beirut port of about nine million Captagon pills hidden inside an orange shipment.
