A statement was issued by the General Directorate of Internal Security Forces - Public Relations Division, as follows: On 2022-08-03, while an employee of a cash transportation company, identified as (H. M., born in 1964, Lebanese), along with a colleague, was transporting two million US dollars for a money transfer company from a bank in Verdun to Badaro, upon arriving at the area of Bishara Khoury, (H. M.) asked his colleague to get out of the car to withdraw his salary from the ATM in the area. After his colleague exited, (H. M.) fled the scene in the vehicle to an unknown location.
Immediately, the relevant units of the Information Branch of the Internal Security Forces commenced field and investigative procedures to uncover the circumstances of the theft. Their patrols managed to locate the stolen cash transportation vehicle in the area of Ard Jaloul, where they found his cell phone inside it. However, the thief had disappeared from view.
On 07-12-2022, after several months of careful surveillance, the special force in the branch managed to identify his hiding place in the southern town of Haboush. A raid was executed, resulting in his arrest. Upon searching his home, a sum of 800,000 US dollars was seized.
During the investigation, he confessed to stealing the two million US dollars while tasked with transporting it by the company he worked for. He admitted to fleeing with the vehicle and cash towards Ard Jaloul, where he abandoned the car and his cell phone, took the money, which was packed inside four nylon bags, and took a taxi to the area of Haret Hreik in the southern suburbs. He then called his brother-in-law (S. A., born in 1990, Lebanese), the mastermind of the operation, who arrived in his car, and they went to the town of Arab Salim, where they went into hiding in a room rented by the mentioned brother-in-law for this purpose. He added that he later gave him 200,000 US dollars to purchase a villa in the town of Deir Zahri, in addition to 151,000 US dollars, and gave his son (H. M., born in 2002, Lebanese) 300,000 US dollars to buy properties in Haboush and Arab Salim, asking him to register them in the name of his wife’s brother (K. H., born in 1972, Lebanese) and 200,000 US dollars to deposit in a bank. He also confessed to spending money on buying cars and household furniture for his family, children, and brother-in-law.
The special force in the branch arrested the remaining individuals involved in the case in the areas of Haboush, Deir Zahri, and Beirut. Upon searching them and their homes, they seized 186,325 US dollars, a military pistol of "Makarov" type with 9mm caliber, and an AK-47 assault rifle with a magazine and 21 rounds.
During the investigation of the others, each admitted to the accusations against them. It was revealed that the total seized amounts amounted to 986,325 US dollars.
The villa was confiscated and sealed with red wax, property purchased with the stolen amount was marked, and funds deposited in one of the financial institutions were frozen, in addition to seizing all cars belonging to the detainees.
Legal procedures were taken against them, and they along with the seized items were referred to the relevant authority based on the directive of the competent judiciary.
