Pills of captagon concealed in bags of hummus, December, 12, 2023. (Credit: caretaker Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi's account on X)
BEIRUT — Lebanon's Beirut port customs on Friday seized nine million pills of Captagon concealed in bags of chickpeas that were bound for Kenya, caretaker Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi announced Friday on X.
"Another operation by the anti-drugs branch of customs led to the seizure of 9 million pills of Captagon meant to be smuggled inside bags of grains from the port of Beirut towards Kenya as a first destination," Mawlawi said on X.
"Investigations are ongoing to arrest those responsible," Mawlawi added.
In November, about three and a half million Captagon tablets were concealed in silicone tubes and intended to be shipped to Nigeria.
Lebanese authorities have intensified their efforts to combat drug trafficking originating in Lebanon or passing through the country, a practice regularly highlighted by Gulf Arab countries.