Lebanon seizes $1.5M in cocaine at Beirut airport: What to know
The country has recently stepped up its fight against drug trafficking, seizing large amounts of cocaine at ports and airports and targeting Captagon production.
Lebanese authorities on Wednesday intercepted a major drug smuggling attempt, seizing up to 10 kilograms of cocaine concealed in the luggage of an arriving passenger at Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport.
What happened: The passenger, a Lebanese woman, had flown to the airport from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. During an inspection of her baggage, airport customs officers found the narcotics.
The haul, weighing about 10 kilograms, is estimated to have a value of roughly $1.5 million. Following the discovery, the woman was taken into custody for questioning.
Both the suspect and the seized cocaine were later transferred to the Central Anti-Narcotics Bureau under orders from the public prosecutor’s office. Authorities have not provided further details on whether the woman was believed to be acting alone or as part of a wider trafficking network. Al-Monitor has reached out to the customs authorities for comment.
