The General Directorate of Internal Security Forces - Public Relations Division issued the following statement: "As part of the ongoing efforts by the Internal Security Forces to combat crimes in various Lebanese regions, the Information Branch obtained information about the presence of military shells and ammunition inside a shop in the Abi Samra area of Tripoli. Following this, the relevant units of the branch began their field and investigative procedures, and as a result of extensive inquiries and investigations, they identified the location, which was determined to be a motorcycle repair shop owned by a man named A. A. (born in 1986, Lebanese).
On February 4, 2024, after careful surveillance, one of the branch patrols was able to arrest him in Abi Samra while he was driving a Nissan 4x4 vehicle, which was also seized. Upon searching him and the vehicle, they found a military handgun and a mobile phone. At the same time, another patrol raided the shop and seized 31 usable mortar shells. They also discovered an empty plastic container with a fuse on top inside a car parked in front of the shop.
During the investigation, he confessed that the seized shells belonged to A. A. Z. (born in 1996, Lebanese) and were kept in his shop for safekeeping. He stated that the car parked outside his shop belonged to the latter and that he had no knowledge of the presence of a container inside it.
Both vehicles were judicially impounded, and the shop was sealed with red wax. A search and investigation notice was issued for A. A. Z., and efforts are ongoing to apprehend him. Legal actions were taken against the detained individual, and he along with the seized items was referred to the relevant authorities, in accordance with the instructions of the competent judiciary."
