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He then falsely claimed that USD 5,000 had been withdrawn from the account due to the alleged problem and later requested another verification code that had been sent to her son’s phone, under the pretext of fixing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: The Street Food Festival will be held in the town of Aaqoura, Jbeil District, from 8:00 p.m. on July 24, 2026, until July 26, 2026. As a result, part of the main road will be closed to traffic, while all entrances to and exits from the town will remain fully accessible. Citizens are therefore requested to take note of these measures and comply with the instructions of the Internal Security Forces personnel assigned to carry out this mission, as well as with the directional traffic signs, in order to prevent congestion.
24/7/2026
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 combat fraud and apprehend its perpetrators, the Beirut Judicial Detachment of the Judicial Police Unit arrested one of the most dangerous fraudsters, who had defrauded a number of monks and nuns. On June 18, 2026, the Beirut Judicial Detachment received a complaint filed by a religious association against an unknown person for defrauding one of the nuns affiliated with the association. Investigations revealed that the suspect had deceived the nun by claiming that he intended to donate a large sum of money to her and that he had deposited an amount in a bank account opened in her name in the United States of America. Through his fraudulent manoeuvres, he convinced her to hand over her passport and induced her to transfer large sums of money in several instalments, allegedly to cover fees, taxes, and money-transfer expenses. To lend credibility to his claims, he sent her forged bank cheques and assumed several fictitious identities and names, including “Asha,” the alleged donor; “Sivak,” presented as the donor’s friend and the purported manager of the bank in the United States; “Jennifer,” Sivak’s daughter; as well as “François,” “Georges Chamas,” “Anthony,” and “Elie Al-Asmar,” whom he claimed were financial managers at the said bank. He contacted her using various Lebanese and foreign telephone numbers. The nun transferred sums of money to the suspect in several instalments. The Beirut Judicial Detachment subsequently launched field and intelligence operations. Following extensive inquiries and investigations, it identified the perpetrator as: S. G. (born in 1979, Lebanese), who has a criminal record involving fraud offences, particularly those targeting members of the clergy. After surveillance and follow-up operations, a patrol from the detachment arrested him in the Badaro area. During questioning, he confessed to the accusations against him and admitted that he had carried out the fraudulent operations alone, using multiple telephone numbers and fictitious names. He also admitted that he had thrown the complainant’s passport into a rubbish bin. It was further established that he had used the same method to defraud a number of other monks and nuns. He was referred to the competent authority for the necessary legal action. Accordingly, and based on the instructions of the competent judiciary, the General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces requests that anyone who has fallen victim to similar fraudulent acts report to the Beirut Judicial Detachment of the Judicial Police Unit, located at the Barbar El-Khazen Barracks in Verdun, or call 01-810171, so that the necessary legal measures may be taken.
23/7/2026
The General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division issued the following statement: During the summer season, vacationers, including citizens and tourists, visit various tourist destinations to enjoy a range of summer activities, including, but not limited to, riding personal watercraft, commonly known as jet skis. The General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces has observed that, in many cases, these watercraft are operated in a random and unregulated manner and launched from locations that are either not designated for this purpose or not supervised by qualified personnel. Such practices may result in accidents and expose jet-ski users and beachgoers to serious risks. Accordingly, the General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces is circulating the following safety requirements and awareness guidelines to private swimming-pool owners and jet-ski enthusiasts: Jet skis may only be launched or operated from designated marine corridors specifically allocated for this purpose and clearly marked with the necessary buoys and maritime signs. Jet skis are strictly prohibited from launching from beaches designated for swimming or from any unauthorized or unsupervised location. All resorts, marine clubs, and jet-ski rental stations must establish safe, clearly designated launch and docking points in advance. Jet skis are prohibited from operating within swimming areas or near the shoreline and must maintain a minimum safety distance of 200 metres from the shore. Mandatory speed restrictions shall apply within marine corridors and during entry and exit. Dangerous manoeuvres or demonstrations near the shore are strictly prohibited. Jet-ski users must wear mandatory life jackets and comply with all maritime safety requirements. Jet skis may not be operated by minors or unqualified individuals. They may not be rented out without first verifying the user’s eligibility and providing the necessary safety instructions. Rental stations and centres must comply with the following requirements: A qualified safety supervisor must be present. Initial transportation means must be provided. All jet-ski departures and returns must be recorded. Operating hours must be set in a manner that does not endanger public safety. Full compliance must be maintained with the conditions established by the General Directorate of Land and Maritime Transport and all other competent authorities. In the interest of public safety, the General Directorate calls upon both those responsible for this activity and jet-ski enthusiasts to act responsibly and fully comply with the above-mentioned requirements and guidelines, in order to protect their own safety and that of others.
23/7/2026
The General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division issued the following statement: As part of the Information Branch's daily efforts to combat drug trafficking and distribution throughout Lebanon, intelligence was obtained indicating that two unidentified individuals were storing narcotic drugs in an apartment in the Jnah area and distributing them. Based on this information, the competent units of the Information Branch were tasked with conducting field operations and investigations to identify and apprehend the suspects. The investigation led to the identification of the apartment they were using in Jnah, and the suspects were identified as: M.K. (born in 2003, Syrian); M.A. (born in 1986, Syrian), who is the subject of a final court judgment for theft. On 7 July 2026, following close surveillance, a special unit from the Information Branch raided the apartment and arrested both suspects inside. A search of the suspects and the apartment resulted in the seizure of: one plastic container holding approximately 10.9 kg of a white substance; 13 plastic capsules containing a white substance, weighing approximately 4 g each; 14 plastic capsules containing a white granular substance, weighing approximately 4 g each; 15 plastic capsules marked "2", containing a white substance, weighing approximately 6 g each; 14 plastic capsules marked "5", containing a white substance, weighing approximately 9 g each; one bag containing approximately 8 g of cannabis; 20 Tramadol tablets; two bags containing 16 colored narcotic tablets; 4 empty plastic capsules marked "kok," "2," or "5"; 4 mobile phones, an amount of cash, a booklet of rolling papers, and a bag containing colored plastic straws; one unregistered pink motorcycle. During questioning, the first suspect admitted that he had been distributing narcotics on behalf of another individual, while the second suspect also confessed to the offenses attributed to him. The necessary legal measures were taken against both suspects, and they, together with the seized items, were referred to the competent judicial authority pursuant to the instructions of the competent prosecutor.
23/7/2026
