The Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Lebanon, Walid Boukhari, and the Minister of Interior and Municipalities, Ahmad Hajjar, at the ministry on Sept. 18, 2025. (Credit: NNA.)
BEIRUT — The Saudi ambassador to Lebanon, Walid Boukhari, praised the efforts made by the Lebanese Ministry of Interior in combating drug smuggling, particularly to the kingdom, according to the state-run National News Agency (NNA).
He spoke during a meeting devoted to the “general situation” with the Minister of Interior and Municipalities, Ahmad Hajjar, at the ministry.
In recent weeks, the minister has made several announcements regarding major drug seizures or the dismantling of trafficking rings.
Hajjar emphasized that “the fight against drugs is a national priority for protecting the security of Lebanese and Arab societies,” while also commending “the existing cooperation between Lebanese security forces and their Saudi counterparts in this context.”
Lebanon is under pressure from Gulf countries to curb the production and trafficking of narcotics, particularly captagon, a synthetic amphetamine that was Syria’s main export before Bashar al-Assad was overthrown on Dec. 8 by a coalition of Islamist rebels.
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