The General Directorate of Internal Security Forces - Public Relations Division announced that "following a series of armed robberies that targeted companies, homes, businesses, and pharmacies, carried out by one of the most dangerous armed gangs that terrorized law-abiding citizens in various areas of Beirut and Mount Lebanon, the Internal Security Forces intensified their intelligence and technical measures. The Information Branch previously managed to arrest a number of members of this gang, and it was revealed that the mastermind of the gang is named A. A. (born in 1979, of Palestinian nationality, nicknamed 'Al-Zeir'). He has a criminal record for crimes including forming a criminal gang, armed robbery, theft, firing shots, kidnapping, pickpocketing, and drug-related offenses, and he is considered a very dangerous individual who is extremely cautious in his movements and continuously armed. He had gone into hiding within the Burj al-Barajneh refugee camp after the arrest of several members of his gang. Orders were given to the special force in the Information Branch to monitor his movements in preparation for his arrest, in coordination with the relevant judiciary.
On October 22, 2023, after a careful surveillance operation that lasted several months, the special force in the branch was able to pinpoint his location in the Jounieh area, where a swift raid was executed, resulting in his arrest along with his service weapon and a forged identification card belonging to Palestinian refugees. During the investigation, he confessed that he leads a gang that has executed dozens of armed robbery operations within the Beirut and Mount Lebanon areas, including:
- Robbing a mini market in Naameh
- Two house robberies of workers of Bangladeshi nationality
- Another house robbery of workers of Syrian nationality in Naameh
- An armed robbery targeting individuals transporting money in Doha Aramoun
- Armed robbery of a pharmacy in Khaldeh
- Armed robbery of a pharmacy in Jounieh
- Robbing a bakery in Burj al-Barajneh
- Armed robbery of a mobile phone shop in Tariq Jadid
- Robbing a cashier in the Mansourieh area
- Two robberies of cashiers in the Lilaki area
- Armed robbery of a company in Jbeil
The necessary legal measures were taken against him, and he and the seized items were handed over to the relevant judicial authority."
