Arrest of Individuals Suspected of Involvement in Extortion and Sexual Assaults on Minors

The Directorate General of Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Branch, stated that "as part of the ongoing efforts by internal security forces to combat all types of crime, and after receiving information from the Cybercrime and Intellectual Property Protection Bureau in the Criminal Investigation Department, following complaints by several minors to the public prosecutor about sexual assaults and filming by members of an organized gang. Additionally, minors were forced to consume drugs in several hotels." The statement indicated that "as a result of follow-up and information gathering that lasted for about a month, the mentioned bureau, assisted by the special group in the same unit, has so far arrested /6/ individuals in Beirut, Mount Lebanon, and the north, among them /3/ famous minors on the TikTok application, who are of Lebanese, Syrian, and Turkish nationalities." The directorate confirmed that "the investigation is ongoing under the supervision of the competent judiciary, and efforts are underway to arrest all members of the gang."