Bags containing drugs confiscated by the Lebanese Army during searches in al-Sharawneh area of Baalbeck. (Credit: Twitter/@LebarmyOfficial)
BEIRUT — A suspected drug dealer was arrested by the Lebanese Army on Monday in al-Sharawneh neighborhood in Baalbeck, accused of being linked to “Abou Salle,” a drug dealer involved in car theft and weapons trade, who is still on the loose, according to a statement by the army.
Here’s what we know:
• The army announced that the suspect had been “selling drugs for the benefit of Abou Salle,” adding that an investigation into his case has been opened.
• Several alleged accomplices have been arrested by the army in its hunt for Abou Salle, which has been ongoing since the clashes on June 3 during which 28-year-old soldier, Zein Chamas, was killed, and five other soldiers were injured.
• The Bekaa, where non-state arms are widely prevalent as the state struggles to impose its authority, is often the scene of bloody clashes between rival clans, sometimes involving Lebanese Army soldiers.