A boat carrying people attempting to reach Cyprus was intercepted by the Lebanese navy off the coast of Tripoli, North Lebanon, on Oct. 12, 2024. (Credit: Photo published by the Lebanese Army)
They were due to set sail on Aug. 30, somewhere between Chekka and Abdeh, along Lebanon's northern coast. That day, nearly 25 Syrians were preparing to make the clandestine journey to Cyprus, located less than 200 kilometers from Lebanon’s shores. But before they could even identify the precise embarkation point, State Security arrested the "mastermind" of the operation in Nemrine, in the Dinnieh district (North Lebanon): a Syrian smuggler already wanted on several arrest warrants, who confessed to running a network facilitating the passage of people from Syria to Europe, notably through Cyprus."Would-be travelers first pay $3,700, using unofficial money transfer companies before leaving Syrian territory," a source within the security institution told L'Orient-Le Jour. "They then enter Lebanon illegally...
They were due to set sail on Aug. 30, somewhere between Chekka and Abdeh, along Lebanon's northern coast. That day, nearly 25 Syrians were preparing to make the clandestine journey to Cyprus, located less than 200 kilometers from Lebanon’s shores. But before they could even identify the precise embarkation point, State Security arrested the "mastermind" of the operation in Nemrine, in the Dinnieh district (North Lebanon): a Syrian smuggler already wanted on several arrest warrants, who confessed to running a network facilitating the passage of people from Syria to Europe, notably through Cyprus."Would-be travelers first pay $3,700, using unofficial money transfer companies before leaving Syrian territory," a source within the security institution told L'Orient-Le Jour. "They then enter Lebanon...