5,000 Dollars Per Person... Smuggling of 9 Syrians to Cyprus Foiled

The following statement was issued by the General Directorate of Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division:

As part of the continuous follow-up carried out by the Internal Security Forces to combat illegal migration operations from Lebanon to European countries via unsafe boats on northern Lebanese shores, and as a result of the diligent efforts undertaken by the specialized units in the Information Branch, data became available regarding unidentified individuals preparing to smuggle Syrians by sea to Cyprus.

Following this, surveillance operations were intensified to locate the aforementioned Syrians, arrest them, and foil the smuggling operation as quickly as possible.

As a result of investigations and inquiries, it was determined that they were hiding in a room awaiting the smuggling operation in the Al-Aboudieh area, which belongs to:

M. M. (born in 1986, Syrian nationality)

On September 30, 2026, after precise monitoring and surveillance, one of the branch's patrols conducted a raid on the mentioned room in the Al-Aboudieh area, arresting (M. M.) inside along with 9 Syrians.

During interrogation, they confessed that two individuals, one Lebanese and the other Syrian, were preparing to smuggle them to Cyprus illegally, and that they had received $5,000 USD per person from them.

Legal measures were taken against the detainees, who were referred to the competent authority based on the instruction of the competent judiciary, while efforts continue to arrest the remaining perpetrators.