This was published 9 years ago
Saudi prince accused in bust involving two tonnes of amphetamines
Beirut: A Lebanese official says Beirut airport authorities have foiled one of the country's largest drug-smuggling attempts, seizing two tonnes of pills containing the amphetamine Captagon before they were loaded onto the private plane of a Saudi prince.
The official said the prince and four others were detained on Monday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to give official statements.
This image from the website of Iran's state-run Press TV purports to show the cartons seized at Beirut airport, each of which is labelled with the seal of Prince Abdul Mohsen bin Walid Al Saud, a member of the Saudi royal family. The cartons allegedly contained a total of two tonnes of amphetamines. Credit: Press TV
Saudi Arabia has been supporting Sunni Muslim rebels against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah - which is widely known to control Beirut airport and its surrounds - is fighting in support of the Syrian government.
The AhlulBayt News Agency - a news agency aimed at Shiite audiences around the world - identified the prince as Abdul Mohsen bin Walid Al Saud. Iranian state-controlled Press TV's website also published an image of cartons bearing the name of this prince.
Credit: iStock
Captagon manufacturing thrives in Lebanon and Syria, which have become a gateway for the drug to the Middle East and particularly the Persian Gulf.
The UN Office of Drugs and Crime said in a 2014 report that the amphetamine market is on the rise in the Middle East, with busts mostly in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria accounting for more than 55 per cent of amphetamines seized worldwide.
AP, Fairfax Media