Lebanese Internal Security Forces officers in front of the courthouse in Beirut. (Credit: Hassan Ammar/AFP File Photo)
State Security announced on Tuesday in a statement that it had apprehended a Syrian national in Nabatieh, southern Lebanon, for alleged involvement in human trafficking and fraud.
"During questioning, the detainee confessed to deceiving multiple individuals by claiming he could smuggle them out of Lebanon, either by sea via the Port of Tripoli or by air through Beirut's airport, in exchange for $6,000. He reportedly used forged airline tickets as part of the scheme," the statement said.
A patrol from the Nabatieh Regional Directorate arrested the suspect after monitoring his activities.
"Legal proceedings were initiated against him under the supervision of the competent judiciary," the statement concluded.
Migrants seeking to take the dangerous journey of leaving Lebanon by boat generally attempt to reach Cyprus. Most are Syrians fleeing the consequences of the civil war in Syria or the economic crisis in Lebanon, which has also driven Lebanese and Palestinians in Lebanon to leave the country illegally.
The army regularly announces that it foiled illegal migration attempts off the coast of North Lebanon, the most recent one in May. Many migrants often die at sea.
