The General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division issued the following statement: On 20-04-2026, a complaint was referred to the Beirut Judicial Detachment of the Judicial Police Unit against a person claiming to be named “Mohammad Makhlouf” and other unidentified individuals for forming a fraud and scam network. During questioning, the complainant stated that he manages a project consisting of residential apartments, offices, and halls designated for rent, and that he had published advertisements about the project on several social media platforms. He added that on 16-04-2026, he received a call via WhatsApp from a foreign number. The caller introduced himself as “Mohammad Makhlouf,” claiming to be related to the former Syrian president and stating that he was in the process of establishing a company in Lebanon. He said that an advertisement published on the “X” platform had caught his attention and expressed interest in investing in offices, showing readiness to pay rent for a period of nine years, in addition to his intention to purchase a property. The complainant offered him a property adjacent to his project valued at USD 35 million. The suspect proposed handing over the money in Dubai or transferring it to Britain, before they eventually agreed that he would come to Lebanon to complete the payment process. On 18-04-2026, after gaining the complainant’s trust, the suspect asked him to receive two Rolex watches and four mobile phones, claiming they were gifts for businessmen he would meet in Lebanon and confirming that he had already paid for them. The complainant received these counterfeit items in two batches in the Verdun area and paid cash amounts and money transfers totaling USD 7,500, based on requests from several individuals who contacted him via WhatsApp using the names of different companies. It was also found that the delivery worker had deceived him into paying additional amounts as fees before fleeing to an unknown destination. On 19-04-2026, the caller informed him that he had arrived in Lebanon and, due to the ongoing war, had been forced to stay in Harissa. He asked the complainant to send 17 mobile recharge cards to continue his online stock market activities, with the promise that they would meet on 20-04-2026 during lunch at a restaurant in Downtown Beirut, which he claimed to have booked in advance. However, he did not appear at the agreed time and disappeared, revealing that the complainant had fallen victim to a sophisticated fraud operation carried out by an organized gang. As a result of the investigations conducted by the above-mentioned detachment, the identities of the gang members were uncovered as follows: T.B. (born in 1981, Lebanese) K.K. (born in 2000, Lebanese) A.H. (born in 1983, Lebanese) A.M. (born in 2000, Lebanese female) A.A.R. (born in 1984, Palestinian-Syrian) During interrogation, A.H. denied involvement in the fraud operation and stated that, at the request of T.B., he had deposited USD 3,100 with one of his relatives. Meanwhile, A.M. confessed that she had worked with T.B. in fraud operations. A.A.R. also admitted that he had received USD 3,400 at the request of A.K. The necessary legal measures were taken against them, and search and investigation notices were circulated against several individuals involved, while efforts continue to arrest the remaining gang members.

13/5/2026

Issued by the General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division, the following statement: On 05-05-2026, a patrol from the Information Branch of the Internal Security Forces arrested the following individuals: M.H.H. (born in 1995, Syrian national) N.S. (born in 1973, Syrian national) W.I. (born in 1983, of undocumented status), according to her statements for stealing money and jewelry through fraudulent methods. They were referred to the Chhim Police Station in the Regional Gendarmerie Unit and subsequently to the Beiteddine Judicial Detachment in the Judicial Police Unit. As investigations expanded by the aforementioned detachment, it was revealed that one of the women distracted the victim while another carried out the theft operation. They were also found to be involved in forming a gang and carrying out several theft operations in different areas. The necessary legal measures were taken against them, and they were referred to the competent judicial authority. Therefore, based on the instructions of the competent judiciary, the General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces circulates the photos of the detainees and requests anyone who has fallen victim to their acts and recognizes them to report to the Beiteddine Judicial Detachment in the Judicial Police Unit, or contact either of the following numbers: 25-300216 or 25-300187, in preparation for taking the necessary legal measures.

13/5/2026

Issued by the General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division, the following statement: As part of the continuous efforts undertaken by the Internal Security Forces to combat all types of crimes across various Lebanese regions, particularly theft-related crimes, and to arrest their perpetrators, citizen R.S. (born in 1969) filed a complaint against an unknown person for stealing a safe containing USD 10,000 and jewelry estimated at USD 60,000 from inside his villa in Yarzeh – Baabda on 05-05-2026. As a result of the immediate investigations and inquiries carried out by members of the Baabda Police Station in the Regional Gendarmerie Unit, suspicion fell on a person working at the complainant’s residence, who had recently requested leave but was later seen wandering around the vicinity of the house. He was identified as: A.S.M.J. (born in 1989, Bangladeshi) During interrogation, it was found that he had contacted fellow nationals using his personal phone and sent them money transfers amounting to USD 8,000 on the date of the theft. He confessed to stealing the safe by taking advantage of the absence of anyone in the house, then forcing it open in his room. He stated that he hid part of the stolen items inside a loudspeaker and entrusted it to his friend R.S.A. (born in 1983, Indian) in the Sin El Fil area for safekeeping, while another part was hidden inside the elevator room of a building in Rabieh, where his other friend, M.S.S. (born in 1994, Indian), works. The latter was also arrested for knowing about the theft. An amount of USD 2,500, part of the jewelry, and personal identification documents belonging to the complainant were seized inside the loudspeaker in Sin El Fil, while USD 3,900 was recovered in Rabieh. During interrogation, R.S.A. denied knowing that the loudspeaker contained stolen money and confirmed that the thief had contacted him on the day of the theft and asked him to keep the loudspeaker in his room after sending it to him by taxi. The recovered jewelry and seized money were handed over to the complainant, and the three detainees were referred to the competent authority for further investigation, pursuant to the instructions of the competent judiciary.

12/5/2026

Issued by the General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division, the following statement: As part of the ongoing efforts undertaken by the Internal Security Forces units to combat crime and arrest perpetrators, and based on information obtained by the Mount Lebanon Investigation Unit of the Regional Gendarmerie regarding the presence of a person in the Choueifat area suspected of stealing motorcycles with accomplices in the same area, and after a precise surveillance and monitoring operation, a patrol from the unit headed to the specified location, where it carried out a special security operation that resulted in the arrest of one suspect in Choueifat, identified as: H.H. (born in 2001, Syrian), wanted for theft. During questioning, he confessed to participating with others in the theft of a motorcycle on 27-04-2026 from the Choueifat – Amrousieh area, where a silver 2025 Swift motorcycle was stolen and transferred to Haret Hreik to a motorcycle shop. It was also established that he was involved in the theft of another motorcycle from the same area, a black ZR motorcycle, in addition to other theft operations recorded on the same date in the same locality targeting several motorcycles. The detainee was handed over to the competent police station in order to carry out the necessary legal measures against him, based on the instructions of the competent judiciary, while efforts continue to arrest the remaining individuals involved.

11/5/2026