- 21
- May
- 2024
Army Seizes Smuggled Turkish-Made Guns for Trade
modified on 09 June 2024 à 07:04 Read : 1 minute(s) A A A
Some 304 Turkish-made handguns were found in a truck filled with goods sent by sea from Turkey to the port of Tripoli. According to information shared by the security forces, the weapons were concealed on both sides of the truck’s engine whose heat set fire to the handguns as the handles are made of plastic. Empty gun magazines were also found.
In the Sarba military barracks, the Lebanese army intelligence searched six other trucks that approached the same ship in the Tripoli port, but found nothing of importance. The same information showed that the owner of the goods is a Palestinian national who is present in Turkey and that, upon being contacted, he denied having any involvement in arms trafficking. The owner added that he is responsible only for the goods, and is completely unaware of the presence of handguns.
The army intelligence proceeded to arrest the driver of the truck and began questioning him to determine where the smuggled weapons were headed to. In a press release issued on Tuesday, the army’s guidance department announced that a group of people suspected of being involved in the trafficking operation had been arrested for interrogation.
The information also indicated that this arms trade operation is not the first of its kind in Lebanon. Some of the seized handguns were ready for immediate use – while most were dysfunctional and needed to be reassembled. The weapons in question are being sold for USD 100 to 200. These types of pistols are widespread in North Lebanon, specifically in Tripoli.
Bassam Abou Zeid
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