A policeman cutting through a carpet in which cocaine was hidden. (Credit: @LebISF/Twitter)
The Internal Security Forces in Lebanon announced on Wednesday the seizure of 1,855 grams of cocaine hidden in a carpet intended to be shipped to France via Beirut international airport. Suspects linked to the failed trafficking attempt have been arrested, the ISF added in a statement.
After obtaining information about a trafficking ring, police arrested five suspects — four Lebanese and one Syrian — on Nov. 13 in Hazmieh and Mrayjeh (east and south of Beirut respectively).
During a search of the home of one of the suspects, police found a white carpet that contained cocaine, inserted in thin tubes woven into the carpet, according to a video released by the ISF. Small quantities of hashish were also seized. During a raid at the house of another suspect, the police seized 47 grams of cocaine and 85 grams of heroin, as well as materials for making rugs and packaging drugs.
One of the men arrested by police already has 12 warrants against him for fraud and drug trafficking, while another has six warrants for attempted murder and drug trafficking, according to the ISF.
According to the ISF, the five suspects confessed to running a drug trafficking network between Lebanon and France and to having already succeeded in shipping cocaine to France on two occasions by hiding the product in carpets made by one of them.