11/6/2026
Issued by the General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division
The following communiqué was issued:
As part of the ongoing efforts undertaken by the Internal Security Forces to combat various types of crime throughout Lebanon, particularly cybercrime and online fraud, a woman filed a complaint on 10-04-2026 before the Barouk Police Station of the Regional Gendarmerie Unit against a person identified as (A. T.), whose full identity remains unknown, for fraud and deception committed through a money transfer application. Pursuant to the instructions of the competent judicial authority, the investigation was referred on 22-04-2026 to the Cybercrime and Intellectual Property Rights Bureau of the Judicial Police Unit.
During her testimony at the Bureau’s headquarters, the complainant stated that, since the outbreak of the recent war, she had been actively involved with a number of friends working in the humanitarian and social sectors in organizing donation campaigns for displaced persons and affected families, with the aim of providing medicines, food supplies, infant formula, and diapers. She explained that she had published her phone number in WhatsApp groups to receive financial transfers through a money transfer company and had indeed begun receiving donations from various contributors.
She further stated that on 09-04-2026 she received a phone call from a person identifying himself as (A. T.), claiming to be a representative of the money transfer company she dealt with. He falsely informed her that her account had exceeded the permitted limit and that several financial transfers were pending as a result, offering to assist her in resolving the issue.
As she was expecting a money transfer from a relative living abroad, she believed his claims and began following his instructions. To verify that her account was still operational, she transferred a sum of money to her son’s account. After the transaction succeeded, he asked her to provide the verification code she had received through the company’s mobile application.
He then falsely claimed that USD 5,000 had been withdrawn from the account due to the alleged problem and later requested another verification code that had been sent to her son’s phone, under the pretext of fixing the issue and reorganizing the account.
After she provided the second code, she discovered that the funds had disappeared from the account. When she confronted him, he openly admitted that he had taken the money, claiming that she would recover it later together with the pending transfer. At that point, she realized that she had fallen victim to an online fraud scheme.
Through technical and digital investigations, Bureau personnel succeeded in tracing the path of the funds withdrawn from the complainant’s account. It was determined that the money had been transferred to an account associated with a digital trading company. After contacting the company, the Bureau requested that the amount be frozen.
As a result of the follow-up investigation, on 28-04-2026, the company’s legal representative appeared at the Bureau’s offices and handed over the full amount to the investigators.
The entire amount was subsequently returned to the complainant. Investigations remain ongoing, under the supervision of the competent judicial authority, to identify and arrest all those involved.
Warning:
The General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces urges citizens and residents alike to exercise caution against various fraud schemes and not to send any official documents, financial information, verification codes, or copies thereof to any suspicious or untrusted party, in order to avoid becoming victims of fraudsters.
The General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division issued the following statement: As part of the Internal Security Forces’ ongoing efforts to combat crime and curb its spread, and following information received by the Mount Lebanon Investigation Detachment of the Territorial Gendarmerie Unit, its patrols arrested several individuals in Safra, Mreijeh, and Bir Hassan on July 20, 2026. 1 During a security operation, a patrol from the detachment arrested two individuals riding an unregistered grey V150 motorcycle on the Safra highway. Narcotic substances and counterfeit US dollars were seized in their possession, consisting of 29 banknotes in various denominations. They were identified as: A. M. (born in 2010, Syrian), a minor K. M. (born in 2007, Syrian) 2 In a carefully planned ambush, another patrol from the detachment arrested an individual riding a white GR motorcycle in Mreijeh. Various types of narcotic substances and counterfeit US dollar banknotes with a total face value exceeding USD 5,750 were seized in his possession. He was identified as: K. I. (born in 1985, Lebanese) 3 A patrol from the detachment also arrested a minor on Furniture Street in Bir Hassan for transporting narcotic substances from a suspicious café owned by his maternal grandfather to his mother, who was staying at a hotel in the area. The café had previously been raided, and drug dealers had been arrested inside. The minor was identified as: H. Sh. (born in 2010, Lebanese) The detainees and the seized items were handed over to the competent units so that the necessary legal measures could be taken against them, pursuant to the instructions of the competent judiciary. Efforts are ongoing to arrest any other individuals who may be involved.
28/7/2026
The General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division issued the following statement: On July 13, 2026, M. G. (born in 1996, Lebanese) was brought to a hospital in the Minieh area after sustaining two gunshot wounds from a handgun, one to the chest and another to the leg. He later died from his injuries. The competent units of the Information Branch immediately launched field and intelligence operations to uncover the circumstances of the crime, identify the perpetrator, and arrest him. Following intensive inquiries and investigations, the Branch identified the suspect as: K. K. (born in 2006, Lebanese) On July 14, 2026, after close surveillance and monitoring, a patrol from the Information Branch arrested him in the Minieh area in less than 24 hours. During questioning, he confessed to the charges against him. He stated that while he was in Minieh inside his white Toyota Tacoma, which had no registration plates, an altercation broke out between him and the victim and subsequently escalated. He then fired two shots from a handgun at the victim after the latter brandished a knife at him. The aforementioned vehicle and the handgun used in the killing were seized. The necessary legal measures were taken against him, and he was referred, together with the seized items, to the competent authority, pursuant to the instructions of the competent judiciary.
28/7/2026
The General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division issued the following statement: The Jounieh Judicial Detachment of the Judicial Police Unit received several complaints filed against an unknown person for committing thefts through fraudulent means, particularly targeting elderly individuals. Following extensive inquiries and investigations conducted by the detachment’s personnel, the perpetrator was identified as: F. K. (born in 1974, Lebanese), who has a criminal record. On July 27, 2026, after careful surveillance and monitoring, a force from the detachment arrested him in a well-planned ambush in the Zouk Mosbeh area. Accordingly, and pursuant to the instructions of the competent judiciary, the General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces is circulating his photograph and requests that anyone who has fallen victim to his actions and recognizes him report to the Jounieh Judicial Detachment, located at the Jounieh Serail, or call 09-650011 or 09-650014, so that the necessary legal measures may be taken.
28/7/2026
The General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division issued the following statement: As part of the Internal Security Forces’ ongoing efforts to curb motorcycle thefts and armed robberies throughout Lebanon, the Information Branch received information indicating that two individuals riding small, unregistered motorcycles had carried out armed robberies and stolen motorcycles in several areas, including Choueifat, Hazmieh, Furn El-Chebbak, Dekwaneh, and Dbayeh. Following investigations conducted by the Branch’s specialized units, it was established that the two suspects spent most of their time in Beirut’s southern suburbs and carried out their crimes using a black Sweet motorcycle without a registration plate. They were identified as: M. H. M. (born in 2008, Lebanese) M. H. (born in 1993, Lebanese) On July 18, 2026, following a targeted operation and after locating the suspects, a force from the Information Branch arrested them in Hadath while they were riding the aforementioned motorcycle. A search of the suspects and the motorcycle uncovered tools and a master motorcycle key used in the thefts. During questioning, they confessed to carrying out more than 20 motorcycle thefts, armed robberies, and snatch thefts in the Mount Lebanon Governorate, particularly in Khaldeh, Choueifat, Furn El-Chebbak, Chiyah, Sin El-Fil, Dbayeh, Dora, and Hazmieh. They explained that they would ride stolen motorcycles and, after selecting a motorcycle to steal, would break its steering lock and push it away, start it by tampering with the wires or using a master key, or seize it at gunpoint by brandishing a military-grade handgun at the victim. They also admitted that they had carried out these crimes in collaboration with: M. R. (born in 2009, Lebanese), who was also being held at the Furn El-Chebbak Police Station on a robbery charge. During questioning, he confessed to the allegations against him. The necessary legal measures were taken against the three suspects, and they were referred, together with the seized items, to the competent authority, pursuant to the instructions of the competent judiciary. At the request of the competent judicial authorities, the General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces is circulating photographs of the three detainees and asks anyone who has fallen victim to their actions to report to the Mount Lebanon Information Branch or call 01-513732, so that the necessary legal measures may be taken.
27/7/2026
