Syria detains Lebanese drug suspect, hands him to Beirut
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Syrian authorities announced on Thursday the arrest of a prominent Lebanese drug trafficking suspect inside Syrian territory, followed by his handover to Lebanese authorities in response to an official request.
A source from the Syrian Interior Ministry told the state-run SANA news agency that the operation was carried out through coordination between Lebanon’s Central Anti-Narcotics Office and Syria’s Anti-Narcotics Department.
The source stated that the suspect, identified by the initials “F.F.” and born in 1976, is wanted by Lebanese judicial authorities on charges related to smuggling captagon pills and cannabis.
According to the statement, Syrian authorities tracked the suspect after confirming his presence inside Syria while he was carrying out administrative procedures.
Following instructions from the competent judiciary and the completion of legal procedures, the individual was detained and subsequently handed over to Lebanese authorities on March 19 via the Masnaa border crossing, the source added.
The Syrian Interior Ministry did not provide further details regarding the circumstances of his entry into Syria or the nature of the administrative procedures he was undertaking.