The General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces said in a statement carried by the (official Lebanese National Information Agency) today, Friday, January 3, that it arrested a gang active in car theft in Beirut and Mount Lebanon and transported it to the Bekaa region with the aim of smuggling it to Syria.
“A force from the aforementioned office carried out several chases and raids in the locality of the old airport road, the locality of al-Awza’i and the locality of the Simon Gallery, which led to the arrest of the gang members who were (Lebanese born in 1997), (Lebanese born in 1994), (Syrian born in 1993 ). ”
The directorate indicated that the gang confessed to stealing 15 cars from the governorates of Beirut and Mount Lebanon, and "handing them over to one of the wanted people in the Bekaa region, in order to smuggle them into the Syrian territories, in exchange for large sums of money," as she put it.
Smuggling operations are repeated between Syria and Lebanon, and are active through groups from both countries, across the land borders, and these operations also include smuggling food, industrial and fuel
And Lebanese security had previously announced that a Lebanese woman had been arrested in connection with the sale of "stolen" cars from Lebanon to gangs inside the Syrian territories, last August.
At the time, the woman admitted to "stealing four cars from the car rental offices, in cooperation with others (previously arrested) through false identities and licenses, and they sold and discharged them to gangs who steal cars in Syria after smuggling them across the border," according to a statement by the security forces.
Source: Lebanese National Agency / Photo from Google Archive for crossing between Syria and Lebanon /
