BEIRUT — An attempt to smuggle counterfeit American dollars estimated at around $150,000 was thwarted by the Inspection Unit of the Internal Security Forces (ISF) at Beirut's International Airport on Wednesday morning. A Lebanese citizen was caught trying to smuggle the fake money to Turkey, the state-run National News Agency reported.

Security forces at Beirut's International Airport have prevented around four separate attempts to smuggle illegal material either in or out of the country "in the past few days," according to the NNA. 

In January, the ISF's inspection unit at BIA apprehended counterfeit US dollar bills amounting to $200,000, along with two Jordanian citizens attempting to smuggle it to Cairo in their luggage.

Several similar counterfeiting operations have been foiled in Lebanon in recent years.

In October 2021, a Turkish traveler was arrested as he was about to leave Beirut for Ankara in possession of counterfeit banknotes for an amount equivalent to $220,000.