saudi prince drugs
As reported by "Russian Spring" (Rusvesna) on October 26, 2015 security service of Rafic Hariri Beirut international airport arrested a Saudi Prince Abdel Mohsen bin Waleed bin Abdel Aziz, born in 1986, attempting to smuggle a large shipment of drugs.

According to Lebanese authorities, a member of the ruling dynasty of Saudi Arabia was detained in the business terminal during security inspection before boarding a private airline. Twelve million pills (approximately 2 tons) of Captagon were packaged in cardboard boxes and marked with the coat of arms of the Kingdom (see photo).

During many days of interrogation the detainee confessed that he had purchased the pills for $30 million in cash from the family of Ez Ed-Deen, living in the province of Arsal on the border with Syria. Family members of Ez Ed-Din are suspected by local security forces of belonging to a Lebanese cell of ISIS.

According to the Directorate of General Security of the Ministry of Interior of Lebanon, on ISIS controlled territories in Syria and Iraq there are several factories for the production of Captagon — drug that is gaining popularity among Arab youth, and is actively used by ISIS militants. Lebanese security service does not exclude that the drugs acquired by the prince were intended for ISIS militants operating on the territory of Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Jordan, Yemen, Palestine and Egypt.

The incident caused a diplomatic crisis between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. The KSA Embassy in Beirut demanded the release of the prince, while anti-Saudi forces, dominant in Lebanon are trying to bring publicity to the illegal activities of the Saudi royal so as not to leave the offender unpunished.

Translated by Kristina Rus