Lebanese authorities have intercepted 46.7 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in a passenger’s luggage at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport, describing the operation as the largest cocaine seizure in the airport’s history.
A Syrian national, identified only as B.H., was arrested after arriving from Accra on Middle East Airlines flight MEA 576 on the night of Saturday, October 31, 2026.
Customs authorities and the General Security Directorate carried out the seizure as part of a joint operation, supported by surveillance and intelligence sharing. A detailed search of the passenger’s luggage led to the discovery of 40 packages containing the drugs.
Officials said the cocaine had been concealed using sophisticated packaging and insulation methods designed to defeat scanning equipment. Officials also found electronic tracking devices inside the packages, raising questions about the organisation and intended delivery of the shipment.
Lebanese authorities disclosed that the suspect had been monitored from his departure for Ghana through to his arrival in Beirut.
Preliminary investigations suggest that he had entered Lebanon through the Al-Masnaa border crossing several weeks earlier, travelled to Accra and later returned with the cocaine consignment.
Investigators believe the trip may have been undertaken as part of a coordinated mission to transport and deliver the drugs.
The suspect remains in custody, while the seized narcotics and other items have been secured. Investigations are continuing under judicial supervision, with authorities seeking to identify the intended recipient and trace the networks behind the shipment’s export, transit and handling.
The incident has renewed attention on Ghana’s links to international drug trafficking investigations, particularly cases involving large narcotics consignments intercepted in foreign countries after reportedly originating from Ghana.
