The newspaper "Asharq Al-Awsat" addressed the issue of captagon smuggling from Lebanon to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, noting that Lebanon announced a series of measures and steps to confront drug smuggling operations from its territories, the latest being a "shipment of pomegranates" filled with captagon that reached Saudi Arabia and led to Riyadh's decision to halt the import of vegetables and fruits from Lebanon. The decisions focus on strict monitoring and conducting necessary investigations to uncover the parties behind these activities, as well as assigning the caretaker Minister of Interior, Muhammad Fahmy, to coordinate with the leaders of the Kingdom.
These decisions were made during a broad security meeting chaired by President Michel Aoun at the Baabda Palace yesterday, attended by caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab, the Ministers of Defense, Interior, Municipalities, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, and Economy, as well as the Public Prosecutor, military and security leaders, customs officials, and several stakeholders in the agricultural sector including farmers and exporters.
In the final statement of the meeting, it was emphasized that "Lebanon is keen on maintaining strong brotherly relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and condemns any actions that may affect its social security, particularly the smuggling of prohibited and narcotic substances into its territories." It expressed Lebanon's firm rejection of allowing its land, maritime, and aerial facilities to be a route for such heinous crimes harmful to humanity, urging Saudi Arabia to "reconsider its decision to ban the entry of Lebanese agricultural products or their passage through its territories."
The participants requested that Minister of Interior and Municipalities Muhammad Fahmy communicate and coordinate with the relevant Saudi authorities to pursue measures that would uncover the perpetrators and prevent the recurrence of such condemned practices. The Public Prosecutor was tasked to continue and follow up on necessary investigations to uncover everything related to the drug smuggling operations in the shipments of vegetables and fruits that entered Lebanese territories and identify the parties behind exporting them to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, imposing the toughest penalties on the perpetrators, planners, implementers, and negligent parties according to applicable laws and regulations, with results to be shared with Saudi officials as soon as possible.
Officials urged military, security, customs forces, and relevant administrations to "strictly enforce and not relax at all in measures aimed at preventing all forms of smuggling from Lebanese borders to any destination, particularly shipments sent to Gulf countries, ensuring they are free from any prohibited goods."
There was also a recommendation for Lebanese exporters to "adhere to external trade regulations based on the credibility of the exported goods and to scrutinize the products being exported to preserve Lebanon's reputation and ensure the cleanliness of their agricultural and industrial products, free from any prohibited materials."
The Minister of Finance, Ghazi Wazni, was asked to "follow up on the implementation of the decree related to the mandatory system for inspecting and monitoring containers, goods, and vehicles at Lebanese border facilities, particularly to launch a public tender to establish this system under all customs conditions, after preparing the necessary specifications."
From a technical standpoint, the Ministers of Finance, Economy, Trade, Industry, and Agriculture were tasked to review the mechanisms and procedures followed in external trade and propose the necessary amendments to the currently applicable legal texts to ensure the integrity and safety of Lebanese exports in coordination with the Federation of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture. The Finance Minister was tasked with preparing a detailed report on the needs and requirements for improving the performance and readiness of the General Directorate of Customs.
In response to a question from Dr. Antoine Shuqair, Director General of the Presidency, regarding the party responsible for the operation and whether there are any accomplices given the accusations against "Hezbollah" for standing behind smuggling operations, the response was: "Let us not preempt the ongoing investigations, which the President and all concerned parties are keen to see proceed to their conclusion in accordance with the law."
When asked if Lebanon had been informed by other Arab countries that they would take similar measures, the reply was: "News has been published in the media, and it is not necessarily required that we be officially notified."
At the outset of the meeting, the President emphasized "the necessity of tightening the fight against smuggling operations and those behind them," reaffirming "Lebanon's commitment to maintaining the best relationships with brotherly Arab countries and safeguarding their security and stability, not exposing them and their citizens to any danger," and called for "the completion of the purchase of scanning devices to be placed at designated crossings since June 2020, regarding which a decree has been issued, as soon as possible to assist customs monitors in performing their required duties."
For his part, the caretaker Prime Minister confirmed that "the Lebanese state will fulfill its duties in intensifying the pursuit of drug smuggling networks," stressing "Lebanon's commitment to the best relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and all Gulf and Arab countries." He stated: "We are certainly with the Kingdom in combating smuggling networks in their Lebanese and Saudi branches and their extended threads in many countries, and in pursuing those involved, whether they are Lebanese, Saudis, or from any country," expressing hope for "the cooperation of the agencies in both countries and in all Arab countries to pursue and dismantle smuggling networks."
