Lebanese army cracks down on drug gang in Palestinian camp in 'unprecedented move'

The Lebanese army carried out a major raid in a Palestinian refugee camp on Thursday targeting a drug gang, arresting dozens of suspects and confiscating drugs and weapons.

The hours-long operation in the Shatila camp in Beirut happened without prior notice given to Palestinian factions.

It saw Lebanese soldiers chase and clash with drug traffickers and wanted individuals who tried to escape.

By convention, Lebanese security forces had not been allowed inside Palestinian refugee camps and usually had to coordinate with Palestinian security forces on security matters. Thursday's raid was considered unprecedented.

In a statement, the Lebanese army said that "following months of continuous security surveillance and monitoring, army units, supported by a group from the Intelligence Directorate, carried out a targeted raid in the Shatila camp. The operation struck a major warehouse used by a gang to store narcotics and a facility dedicated to distributing these substances on a wide scale across various areas."

"Clashes erupted with wanted suspects, resulting in injuries to several of them. A total of 55 individuals were arrested, including Lebanese, Syrians, and Palestinians. Large quantities of drugs, as well as weapons and military ammunition, were seized," it added.

The statement noted that "this operation represents a decisive step in the ongoing campaign led by the army to combat drug trafficking, pursue those involved in its distribution, and reduce its danger to society."

Palestinian news sites reported that the raids included the so-called "Shatila Hangar" and buildings adjacent to the camp.

Videos of the security operation that circulated online showed army and intelligence personnel deployed in one of the camp's narrow streets. Footage showed them taking away a number of people while other personnel carried bags containing white materials.

The raid comes after months of repeated clashes between drug dealers in and around the Shatila camp, located adjacent to the Sabra area, a densely populated and impoverished neighbourhood located between Beirut and the city’s southern suburbs.

The clashes have left several people killed or wounded with stray bullets often landing outside the camp.

A security source told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that "the operation was carried out without coordination with the Palestinian factions and relied on the element of surprise to arrest the wanted individuals."

The source noted that the raid falls within the framework of the "major war" the Lebanese army is waging against drug traffickers, "especially those long believed to be untouchable." The source emphasised that "there are no red lines for the army when it comes to arresting wanted individuals or entering any area."

In a post on X, the Lebanese Interior Ministry affirmed that security agencies are making diligent and coordinated efforts to combat drug trafficking, extending "full salute to the Lebanese army for its targeted operations and arrests among senior drug dealers."

The ministry stressed that "fighting drug trafficking is a national priority with zero tolerance and a collective responsibility that requires unified efforts."

For weeks, the Lebanese army has conducted a massive campaign to pursue drug dealers and shut down labs and sites used to produce the illicit substances.

On Wednesday, the army said that it had seized 64 million Captagon pills in the east in one of the largest ever drug busts in the country.

The clampdown has intensified since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria last December, where the amphetamine Captagon became a major export following the eruption of the civil war in 2011 and a key source of illicit funding for the Assad dynasty.

The synthetic drug had flooded the region, with neighbouring countries occasionally announcing Captagon seizures and asking Lebanon and Syria to ramp up efforts to combat the trade.

Thursday’s army operation also takes place against the backdrop of the Lebanese government’s push to disarm all militant groups in the country and assert a monopoly on all weapons, including in Palestinian camps.