Issued by the Internal Security Forces General Directorate – Public Relations Division The following statement: As part of the ongoing efforts of the Internal Security Forces (ISF) to combat theft and pursue and arrest those responsible, and following several theft incidents recently reported in the southern suburbs of Beirut, personnel from the South Beirut Suburbs Judicial Detachment of the Judicial Police Unit intensified their inquiries and investigations to identify those involved. As a result of surveillance and tracking operations, a patrol from the Detachment arrested a man in the Chiyah area on suspicion of committing thefts in the southern suburbs of Beirut. He is identified as: M. A. K. (born in 1980, Lebanese national). Four motorcycles without valid legal documentation were also seized. It was found that an outstanding conviction against him was issued for a drug-related offense. Therefore, based on the instructions of the competent judicial authorities, the Internal Security Forces General Directorate is circulating his photograph and calls on anyone who has fallen victim to similar thefts and suspects that the detainee may be connected to them to appear at the aforementioned Detachment, located in the Ouzai area – Martyr Mustafa Ali Hassan Barracks, or to contact 01-451162, in order to take the necessary legal measures.

6/10/2026

Issued by the Internal Security Forces General Directorate – Public Relations Division The following statement: Further to our previous statement dated 09 September 2026 concerning the arrest of members of a drug trafficking network operated from abroad, personnel from the Mount Lebanon Investigations Detachment of the Regional Gendarmerie Unit carried out a series of raids and arrests between 12 and 21 September 2026. During this operation, they conducted 25 raids in Deir Qoubel, Tannourine, Halat, Baabdat, Al-Sabtieh, Baawerta – Aley, Ain El Remmaneh, Zouk, Ballouneh, Adma, Haret Sakher, Ain El Delb, Mansourieh, Tabarja, Kfarshima, Adonis, Bsalim, Ain El Rihaneh – Keserwan, Hazmieh, Ashrafieh, Fanar, and Bourj Hammoud. A total of 28 Lebanese nationals and one Kazakhstani woman were arrested, in addition to the seizure of large quantities of drugs and other items. Upon searching their places of residence, large and varied quantities of narcotic substances were seized, along with equipment used for their cultivation, manufacture, preparation, packaging, and consumption. These included hashish, marijuana and its seeds and seedlings, and various types of pills and narcotic substances, including Captagon, MD, LSD, DMT, ketamine, cocaine, basuco, and tramadol. Also seized were hallucinogenic mushrooms, as well as various liquid, oily, powder, solid and gel-like substances and other materials suspected of being narcotics, in addition to vape heads and cartridges containing various substances. Tools, equipment, and materials used in the cultivation, manufacture, preparation, packaging, and consumption of narcotics were also seized, including precision scales, grinders and choppers, a nylon bag press, vacuum bags, empty bags, containers and jars, packaging tools, tubes, droppers, needles and syringes, blades, pipes and glass smoking devices, vaping devices and related heads and cartridges, rolling papers and filters, containers and measuring instruments, strainers, trays, fans and ventilation equipment, lighting, drying and heating devices, soil and agricultural materials and supplies, seeds, planting containers, pressure cookers, sterilization, drying and grinding devices, a microscope, and various tools and equipment related to the cultivation and preparation of mushrooms and the packaging of narcotic substances. Weapons and ammunition were also found, including a number of military rifles, hunting rifles, military pistols and other pistols, magazines and ammunition of various calibers, and large quantities of live rounds. Two hand grenades without detonators were also seized, along with various knives and blades. A large number of mobile phones of various types were also seized, along with SIM cards, laptops, tablets, external hard drives, memory cards and USB drives, cameras, a drone with its remote control, DVR recording devices, routers, and various electronic equipment. The seized items also included sound and electrical equipment intended for events, including loudspeakers and their metal stands, amplifiers, audio distributors and mixers, microphones and microphone heads, various types of equipment, lighting equipment, regulators, electrical connectors and cables, as well as bags containing various sound and electrical equipment and supplies. Cash in Lebanese pounds, US dollars, and euros was also seized, in addition to play money bearing the words “PROP COPY” or “COPY”. Gold and silver jewelry and valuables were also seized, including chains, bracelets, rings, pieces and icons, as well as several silver ounces. Various documents and identification papers were also seized, including identity cards, passports, driving licenses, vehicle registration documents, university cards, health insurance cards, bank cards and residency permits, in addition to car and house keys and various personal belongings. Among the seized items were also two Honda vehicles, one CIVIC and the other ODYSSEY, in addition to a hunting rifle, a quantity of hunting ammunition, and equipment used for hunting, including sound devices, horns, and a hunting battery. At a number of locations, other materials and tools related to the investigation were also seized, including containers and bottles, various liquid substances, agricultural materials, glass and plastic containers, electrical tools, notebooks and notes, wallets and bags, electronic cards and SIM cards, and various personal belongings. All detainees and seized items were handed over to the relevant units for the necessary legal measures, based on the instructions of the competent judicial authorities.

6/10/2026

Issued by the Internal Security Forces General Directorate – Public Relations Division The following statement: As part of the ongoing efforts undertaken by the Internal Security Forces (ISF) to combat irregular migration from Lebanon to European countries via the northern Lebanese coast aboard unsafe vessels, and as a result of the intensive efforts carried out by the specialized units of the Information Branch, information was obtained concerning unidentified individuals preparing to smuggle Syrians by sea to Cyprus. Following this, the specialized units intensified surveillance operations in order to locate the aforementioned Syrians, arrest them, and thwart the smuggling operation as quickly as possible. As a result of inquiries and investigations, the room in which they were hiding pending the smuggling operation was identified in the Al-Aboudieh area. The room belonged to: M. M. (born in 1986, Syrian national). On 30 September 2026, following a careful surveillance operation, a patrol from the Branch raided the aforementioned room in Al-Aboudieh and arrested M. M., along with 9 Syrians. During questioning, they admitted that two individuals, one Lebanese and the other Syrian, had been preparing to smuggle them illegally to Cyprus and had charged them USD 5,000 per person. The necessary legal measures were taken against the detainees, who were handed over to the competent authorities upon the instructions of the competent judicial authorities. Efforts are ongoing to arrest the remaining individuals involved.

6/10/2026

During its annual conference held in Bali, Indonesia, in September 2026, with the participation of police and security representatives and delegations from around the world, the International Association of Women Police (IAWP) awarded Brigadier General Elie Al-Asmar, Head of the Social Services Management Unit at the Internal Security Forces (ISF), its prestigious “Advocate Award”, marking a new international achievement that further strengthens the ISF’s presence in global security and policing forums. The award recognizes a quarter-century of work dedicated to supporting and promoting the role of women in the police and security sectors and in society, as well as the efforts made by Brigadier General Al-Asmar, at both the national and international levels, to develop inclusive frameworks that contribute to empowering female personnel and enhancing their presence and leadership participation across various missions and sectors. It also recognizes his contributions to promoting national, educational, and social principles stemming from the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, particularly United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, thereby strengthening women’s role and meaningful participation in the fields of security and peace. Brigadier General Al-Asmar received the award during the official ceremony held on the island of Bali, in the presence of security and police representatives and delegations from around the world. This recognition represents another international milestone for the Internal Security Forces and reflects the institution and its personnel’s growing presence in international forums through their expertise, initiatives, and efforts aimed at developing policing practices, strengthening community partnerships, and supporting the role of women in the security sector.

5/10/2026