Cocaine case leads to discovery of stolen luxury car reselling between Dubai and Beirut
Several arrests have been made in this case, including the latest on Friday.
by Claude ASSAF · L'Orient TodayA drug trafficking case between Beirut and Dubai has uncovered a suspected market for stolen luxury cars in Dubai, with vehicles later resold in Beirut. The discovery emerged during an ongoing investigation led by Judge Samaranda Nassar, deputy prosecutor general at the Court of Cassation.
The case began in Dubai, where a man, reportedly a national of an Asian country, was arrested in possession of cocaine. During questioning, he allegedly identified a Lebanese man, J.H., as his supplier. Nassar, who began investigating the case last August at the request of the Lebanese Interpol office, ordered a search several days ago of an apartment in Adma, Kesrouan district, where J.H. was arrested.
During questioning, J.H. reportedly said his role was limited to acting as an intermediary with nationals of various countries. Other Lebanese individuals who were apprehended, however, said they had obtained their supply from him.
Nassar recently completed her preliminary investigation into the drug case and forwarded the file to Mount Lebanon Prosecutor General Sami Sader. He then initiated proceedings against J.H. and others suspected of involvement before referring the file to Mount Lebanon First Investigating Judge Nada Asmar.
A former parliamentary candidate
Data extracted from mobile phones seized during the investigation revealed a new aspect of the case: messages and images related to car sales.
The expanded investigation found that a businessman, G.R., allegedly sold stolen cars from Dubai to J.S., a former candidate in the Lebanese parliamentary elections. J.S., who is currently in pretrial detention, denied knowing that the cars he purchased had been obtained fraudulently.
Nassar’s search warrant led to G.R.’s arrest Friday at a residential center between Adma and Ghazir, Kesrouan district. His daughter, T.R., was also arrested because a car trading company in Dubai is registered in her name and she is suspected of having personally received the proceeds from the sales.
E.T., who worked for G.R. and handled the vehicles’ administrative paperwork, is also the subject of a search warrant.
The major brands
A source familiar with the case told L’Orient-Le Jour that the vehicles include high-end brands such as Porsche, Ferrari and Lamborghini.
The source explained that Lebanon allows the temporary importation of certain vehicles for several months, after which owners can either re-export them or clear them through customs. Investigators believe the vehicles in question entered Lebanon through this mechanism, after which their documents and identifying details, including chassis and engine numbers, were allegedly falsified.
According to our information, experts are currently examining each vehicle to determine its origin and the circumstances and legality of its entry into Lebanon.
Once investigators have gathered all the necessary evidence, authorities are expected to transfer the luxury car case to the Mount Lebanon Prosecutor’s Office, which could initiate legal proceedings before forwarding the file to Asmar.
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