Lebanese customs seize nearly $8 million at Beirut Airport over false declarations — The details
Lebanese Customs at Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport recently seized nearly $8 million in undeclared cash from three travelers arriving on an Ethiopian Airlines flight from two African countries.
According to officials, the travelers voluntarily declared carrying money but significantly underreported the actual amount.
Upon contacting the Financial Public Prosecution, customs authorities were instructed to count the cash, which revealed a total of close to $8 million.
The amounts were distributed among the three passengers: approximately $2.5 million, $3.5 million, and $2 million.
Due to the discrepancy between the declarations and the actual sums, the prosecution ordered the money to be confiscated and deposited with Lebanon's central bank.
The three individuals were detained for questioning about the source and intended use of the funds.
They were referred to the Financial Crimes Bureau under the supervision of the Financial Public Prosecution. Judge Dora El Khazen later transferred the case to the Court of Cassation.
Initial statements by the detainees claimed the funds belonged to merchants conducting business between Africa and Lebanon.
Authorities, including the Financial Public Prosecution and the Special Investigation Commission at the central bank, are now tasked with verifying the legitimacy, origin, and destination of the seized money.
While transporting large sums of money is not a crime under Lebanese law, travelers are legally required to declare amounts exceeding $15,000.
The declaration form must include details on the source, destination, and recipient of the money.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
LBCI
2 hours ago
- LBCI
Lebanon launches crackdown on fake and smuggled medicines with new tracking app
Report by Lara El Hachem, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi In Lebanon's shadowy pharmaceutical market, two major threats put patients' lives at risk: counterfeit drugs and smuggled medicines. While counterfeit medications are manipulated in their composition, smuggled drugs—whether authentic or not—often lack proper storage and transport conditions, making them equally dangerous The Public Health Ministry is now taking steps to combat both phenomena, starting with the development of a mobile application that will allow patients to verify the safety of any medication before purchasing it. How does it work? By scanning the barcode on the packaging, users can trace the medicine's journey from the manufacturer to the distributor and ultimately to the pharmacy. If the drug is found to be illegal or unsafe, it will become easier to hold those responsible accountable. As part of its recent enforcement measures, the ministry has referred 18 pharmacies to the judiciary on suspicion of distributing counterfeit drugs. In parallel, the Order of Pharmacists of Lebanon is taking disciplinary actions against violators. Currently, 25% of Lebanon's pharmaceutical market is made up of locally produced drugs. Officials are urging the public not to fall victim to manipulation or fear-mongering, emphasizing that generic alternatives to branded medicines are always available. To raise awareness, the government has launched a national campaign to combat the smuggling and counterfeiting of medicines. As part of the initiative, the Health Minister announced preliminary results from recent laboratory testing of dietary supplements, which had previously raised concerns over health safety standards. Information Minister Ziad Makary also warned against corporate blackmail and paid smear campaigns on media platforms, which ultimately affect citizens. According to both ministries, the ultimate solution lies in expediting the Cabinet's approval of the implementation decrees for the creation of the National Drug Authority. This long-awaited body would oversee, inspect, and regulate Lebanon's pharmaceutical market to ensure unified and transparent control over one of the country's most vital sectors.
LBCI
2 hours ago
- LBCI
Israeli military says senior Hezbollah official killed in southern Lebanon strike
The Israeli army said it carried out a strike in southern Lebanon earlier Friday, killing Ali Mohammad Hassan Kassan, the Hezbollah official in charge of manpower for the Bint Jbeil sector. Army spokesperson Avichay Adraee claimed Kassan had recently been working to rebuild Hezbollah's presence in the area and recruit new members during the ongoing conflict. Adraee said his activities violated the understandings between Israel and Lebanon, adding that the Israeli military would 'continue operating to eliminate any threat to Israel.'
LBCI
7 hours ago
- LBCI
Lebanese Georges Abdallah lands in Beirut after 40 years in French jail
Pro-Palestinian Lebanese militant Georges Ibrahim Abdallah arrived back in Beirut on Friday after serving more than 40 years in jail in France for the killings of two diplomats. Abdallah, who was released on condition he never return to France, was welcomed by family members at the airport's VIP lounge. Dozens of supporters, some waving Palestinian or Lebanese Communist Party flags, gathered near the arrivals hall to give him a hero's reception, an AFP correspondent reported. AFP
