Four Turkish nationals arrested for allegedly smuggling drugs to Saudi Arabia

BEIRUT — General Security stated on Wednesday that it arrested four Turkish citizens on Sunday at the Beirut Rafik Hariri Airport, accused of establishing an organized network to smuggle drugs from Turkey to Saudi Arabia.

"The General Security at Beirut-Rafik Hariri International Airport stopped four Turkish citizens [three men and one woman] while attempting to enter Lebanese territory on a flight arriving from Istanbul ... Suspecting their repeated entries and exits, and based on instructions from the competent judiciary, the detainees were subjected to security investigations, which revealed that they had established an organized network to smuggle narcotics from Turkey to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in coordination with external parties, in exchange for financial compensation," reads the statement published on X.

"The investigations provided evidence confirming their direct involvement in smuggling operations, and the detainees and seized items were handed over to the relevant authorities," the statement added.

The Lebanese Army and security services have intensified their fight against drug trafficking in recent months under pressure from the Gulf states, as well as from the United States.

Saudi Arabia had suspended its commercial exchanges with Lebanon in 2021, when Saudi authorities banned the entry of fruits and vegetables from the country after several shipments containing Captagon were intercepted.

After bolstered efforts by Lebanese authorities to crack down on the drug trade — with the help of the new Syrian authorities close to Saudi Arabia — the kingdom has promised to strengthen its commercial ties with Lebanon.