There are no news in Akkar these days except about smuggling, whether by boats towards European shores or overland from Syria to Lebanon. This phenomenon has returned again after a period of decline, especially following the drowning of a boat off the Syrian coast of Tartus and the resulting casualties. According to exclusive information obtained by "Nidaa al-Watan," last week was busy with these types of journeys, most of which started from the regions of Al-Ariyda and Sheikh Zenad in Akkar, along with one journey that departed from the shores of Tripoli towards European coasts. Reportedly, a journey reached the Italian shores after setting off about two weeks ago from Akkar, and more of these journeys are being prepared and organized for imminent launches, possibly in the coming days, to take advantage of the weather and the increasing Syrian demand for migration trips. Syrians coming from within Syria rank first in the number of migrants on these journeys.
A source involved in smuggling operations and the organization of trips spoke to "Nidaa al-Watan" about the part that involves securing Syrians from the moment they arrive in Lebanon until their departure time. He stated, "The passengers arriving from Syria are increasingly eager for these journeys, possibly due to the economic and living conditions back home. I receive people coming through the borders from Wadi Khaled and the neighboring villages in the area, and the trip organizer arranges with me to guide them to the homes I have rented for them near the departure point. Often, the trip organizer is responsible for securing the passengers and is not necessarily the owner of the boat and the entire journey; there may be more than one organizer on a single trip."
He added, "We secure homes in advance by agreeing with someone and we pay $400 for each family and $200 per individual for the house. As for VIP individuals, we place them in homes protected by local residents, and the owners are often known for their influence; these homes are termed 'the bumps' in our language. My role ends when it's time for the journey. If the trip is set to depart at 4 AM, for instance, I must get the passengers to the launch point about half an hour early and I receive my commission, which usually ranges between $400 and $500, provided that I have no involvement in the commissions for buses, transportation, or other matters, as those are all accounted for and paid by the organizers."
It is worth noting that a number of sailors recently held a sit-in, represented by Mukhtar Mohammed Al-Boustani, demanding the army leadership to release boats that had been detained, affirming that they are not related to smuggling. "We are in favor of stopping any boat found to be involved in smuggling, but there are innocents who are unrelated."
