Syrian national who poisoned bakery customers arrested in Jbeil

BEIRUT — The Internal Security Forces (ISF) announced the arrest in Jbeil, by order of the Mount Lebanon Prosecutor's Office, of Syrian national A.H., born in 1993, who had poisoned more than eight people with a deadly pesticide known as Lannate.

"Eight people, including three in critical condition, were admitted on October 31, 2025, to hospitals in the Jbeil area due to poisoning after eating meat pies [lahm beajine] from one of the bakeries in Nahr Ibrahim," the ISF Directorate-General stated on its X account.

The investigation, which required cooperation from various parties — including a forensic pathologist from the Health Ministry, the Consumer Protection Department at the Economy Ministry, and the scientific unit of the judicial police — found that the substance known as Lannate was detected in the meat pies.

As the effect of this substance is destroyed by high heat (above 250 degrees Celsius), the investigation determined that the toxic substance was added after baking, since the oven temperature during baking reaches 300 degrees Celsius. Three other similar cases of poisoning were also reported on Oct. 30.

"The bakery owner was cleared, but one of his employees, A.H., a Syrian national, was placed under arrest," the ISF statement concluded.