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Lebanon Foils Plot to Smuggle Hashish from Sidon Port to Egypt

Caretaker Interior Minister Mohammed Fahmy and security officers in front of the seized hashish shipment (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Caretaker Interior Minister Mohammed Fahmy and security officers in front of the seized hashish shipment (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Lebanon Foils Plot to Smuggle Hashish from Sidon Port to Egypt

Caretaker Interior Minister Mohammed Fahmy and security officers in front of the seized hashish shipment (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Caretaker Interior Minister Mohammed Fahmy and security officers in front of the seized hashish shipment (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Lebanon has foiled a plot to smuggle four tons of hashish from Sidon to the Egyptian port of Alexandria

President Michel Aoun praised the security operation that thwarted the smuggling attempt of the KayfHash to Alexandria, saying it is an “achievement” for the Lebanese Customs.

Aoun stressed that cooperation and coordination between various security apparatuses achieve such results that show Lebanon's keenness to combat smuggling of all kinds and thwart all attempts that harm the country's reputation and its relations with brotherly and friendly countries, the National News Agency (NNA) reported.

The NNA stated that the Caretaker Interior Minister Mohammed Fahmy visited the old port of Sidon, after the Anti-Narcotics Office in South Lebanon, in coordination with Sidon’s customs office, managed to seize two trucks containing cannabis inside metal containers, ready to be transported for shipping.

Fahmy inspected the seized shipment, praising the distinguished coordination between the Customs Directorate, the Anti-Narcotics Office, and the Information Division, which led to this achievement.

He confirmed that Lebanon will soon have the most modern equipment, indicating that the operation is a completion of all the measures taken to end all kinds of smuggling networks.

The Acting Director-General of Customs, Raymond Khoury, spoke about the difficulties they face, referring to the power outage in the port in the absence of the required capabilities.

Khoury indicated that Lebanese Customs suffers from personnel and equipment shortage, especially modern equipment, noting there are also some problems with a number of vehicles.

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Lebanese Govt Approaches Hezbollah Arms File Without Decisions

In this photo, released by the Lebanese Presidency press office, Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, center foreground, and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, right, head a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Lebanese Presidency press office via AP)
In this photo, released by the Lebanese Presidency press office, Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, center foreground, and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, right, head a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Lebanese Presidency press office via AP)
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Lebanese Govt Approaches Hezbollah Arms File Without Decisions

In this photo, released by the Lebanese Presidency press office, Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, center foreground, and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, right, head a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Lebanese Presidency press office via AP)
In this photo, released by the Lebanese Presidency press office, Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, center foreground, and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, right, head a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Lebanese Presidency press office via AP)

Lebanon’s government addressed the contentious issue of Hezbollah’s weapons
and the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 with no concrete decisions made during the recent cabinet discussions.
Government sources who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Lebanese Forces bloc demanded that timeline for the disarmament of Hezbollah be set, but there was no response to their demand. Other ministers argued that the matter of exclusive state control over weapons is already addressed in the government's ministerial statement.

Moreover, and in a gesture underscoring its commitment to international cooperation, the government approved the extension of the mandate for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), highlighting Lebanon’s “keenness on partnership with the international community to maintain stability.”
It also reported 2,740 Israeli violations since the ceasefire agreement was put in place.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, government sources said that President Joseph Aoun has vowed to discuss the matter of setting a timeline to disarm Hezbollah with the relevant parties, and will report the outcome of his consultations back to the cabinet.

Following the cabinet session, Information Minister Paul Morcos reaffirmed the government's commitment to asserting state authority over all Lebanese territory. He underscored the need to bolster the Lebanese Army amid growing security challenges—particularly in the south, where the army continues to carry out its duties despite repeated Israeli aggressions.

The Minister stated that Army Commander General Rodolph Haikal delivered a security briefing during the meeting, outlining ongoing operations and the army's position. Haikal stressed Lebanon’s full commitment to implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701, in contrast to Israel’s repeated violations, which, he said, hinder the army’s deployment and the extension of state authority in the region.
UN Security Council Resolution 1701 calls for the Lebanese Army’s deployment south of the Litani River and the removal of all unauthorized armed groups.

Despite limited resources, Morcos noted, the army “continues to fulfill its duties under difficult conditions”.
Industry Minister, Joe Issa el-Khoury, said after the cabinet meeting at Baabda Palace that ministers of the Lebanese Forces bloc raised the issue of setting a six-month timeline for the handover of all illegal weapons—both Lebanese and non-Lebanese. They proposed beginning the process with the Palestinian refugee camps.
Morco also announced that the Cabinet approved the extension of the UNIFIL mandate in southern Lebanon, stressing the Lebanese state’s commitment to its partnership with the international community in preserving stability.

For his part, President Aoun, at the onset of the session, described his meeting with Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Tamim Al-Thani, in Doha as “fruitful and excellent,” revealing that a Qatari delegation may visit Lebanon next week to discuss the electricity file.
Aoun also thanked the Intelligence Directorate and General Security for arresting members of a cell involved in rocket launches from southern Lebanon. He expressed hope that the cell recently dismantled in Jordan—whose members admitted to receiving training in Lebanon—will be fully unraveled.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, for his part, spoke about his recent visit to Syria. He said four major issues were discussed: securing and eventually demarcating the Lebanese-Syrian border, the case of Lebanese detainees who disappeared in Syria, Lebanese nationals wanted by authorities who are currently in Syria, and the issue of Syrian prisoners held in Lebanon.
Salam underscored that some of the most pressing matters discussed was the return of Syrian refugees back to their homeland, and the need to lift sanctions on Syria in order to facilitate this process.
The visit also included an official request for information related to the Beirut port explosion.