Lebanese Internal Security Forces officers in front of the courthouse in Beirut. (Credit: File photo Hassan Ammar/AFP)
BEIRUT — The Lebanese Internal Security Forces (ISF) last week arrested a Syrian national suspected of selling fake residence permits to Syrians in Lebanon, the ISF said in a statement Thursday.
The police said the suspect was part of a "gang making fake residence permits for Syrian nationals for $70 each."
After conducting their investigation, police lured the 38-year-old individual to Tripoli, North Lebanon and arrested him, the statement said.
"He had in his possession a false residence permit at the time of his arrest, and he intended to sell it," the text explained.
An investigation has been opened into the case in order to identify the other people involved. The issue of Syrian refugees' presence in Lebanon has resurfaced in recent weeks, with many Lebanese leaders calling for their repatriation. At the same time, human rights organizations continue to warn of the risks of forced returns to Syria.