Drug Lab Found in Cave in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley

Lebanese internal security forces have uncovered a drug manufacturing operation hidden inside a cave in a remote area of the northern Bekaa Valley. The discovery, announced by the General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces, included a large quantity of Captagon pills, raw materials, and a mixing machine used in production.

On April 24, 2026, intelligence reached the Central Anti-Narcotics Bureau about a significant stash of Captagon pills concealed inside a vehicle in the Baalbek area. A raid was immediately carried out by a force from the bureau, supported by a patrol from the regional anti-narcotics office in Zahle. Upon searching the vehicle, authorities found 17 large barrels containing 329 kilograms of Captagon pills, equivalent to approximately 1,810,000 pills.

Cave Raid and Seized Materials

In a separate earlier operation, the same bureau had received information about Captagon pills, precursor substances, and a manufacturing machine hidden inside a cave in one of the rugged areas of the northern Bekaa. A force from the bureau, again backed by the Zahle regional office, raided the specified location.

The items seized from the cave included:

• 15 kg of Captagon pills (approximately 85,000 pills)
• 700 kg of liquid formamide, a substance used in Captagon manufacturing
• A kneading machine used in the production process

Legal proceedings have been initiated under the supervision of the competent judiciary, and efforts are ongoing to arrest all those involved in the operation.