Brother of Hezbollah official suspected in Lebanon drugs scandal
Saturday, 10 November 2012
Dozens of types of untested drugs were imported into Lebanon through forged government documents. (Reuters)
Lebanon has been rocked by a scandal involving the brother of a
top Hezbollah official suspected of importing untested pharmaceutical
products through forged government documents.
Lebanon’s Parliamentary Health Committee chief Atef Majdalan revelead on Thursday that “four pharmaceutical importers were involved in an operation to import more than 100 types of drugs through forged [documentation].”
Lebanon’s Parliamentary Health Committee chief Atef Majdalan revelead on Thursday that “four pharmaceutical importers were involved in an operation to import more than 100 types of drugs through forged [documentation].”
It later immerged that a brother of
Minister of State for Administrative Reform Mohammad Fneish -- also a
Hezbollah member –was involved in the scandal. Media reports even
suggested minister Fneish might have facilitated the forging of health
ministry documents for his brother and that four pharmaceutical firms
implicated in the case had ties to Hezbollah.
Future News television reported on Friday that Fneish’s brother “forged the signature” of Health Minister Ali Hassan Khalil to import untested drugs. The television added that the drugs entered the country “10 months ago” and that the firms involved in the importation had ties with Hezbollah.
Future News is close to the Lebanese Future Movement critical of Hezbollah and its military arsenal.
Lebanese al-Nahar newspaper reported that the firms imported most of the drugs from South East Asia and sealed them with the stamp of an accomplice company in Britain to suggest that the medicines were made in Europe.
Beirut-based al-Mustaqbal newspaper on Saturday identified firms were City Pharm; Newall Pharma, International Pharma Group; Royal Pharma and Danita pharm.”
Lebanon is grappling with the assassination of internal security chief Wessam al-Hassan. His murdered were blamed on the Syrian regime, which supported by the Hezbollah movement.
Last year, U.S. authorities announced the indictment of alleged international drug dealer Ayman Joumaa, who is reportedly tied to Hezbollah.
Joumaa is accused of using the money laundering scheme for funds made in importing cocaine from Mexico to the United States and is suspected of having links to Hezbollah and the powerful Zeta Mexican drug cartel.
Future News television reported on Friday that Fneish’s brother “forged the signature” of Health Minister Ali Hassan Khalil to import untested drugs. The television added that the drugs entered the country “10 months ago” and that the firms involved in the importation had ties with Hezbollah.
Future News is close to the Lebanese Future Movement critical of Hezbollah and its military arsenal.
Lebanese al-Nahar newspaper reported that the firms imported most of the drugs from South East Asia and sealed them with the stamp of an accomplice company in Britain to suggest that the medicines were made in Europe.
Beirut-based al-Mustaqbal newspaper on Saturday identified firms were City Pharm; Newall Pharma, International Pharma Group; Royal Pharma and Danita pharm.”
Lebanon is grappling with the assassination of internal security chief Wessam al-Hassan. His murdered were blamed on the Syrian regime, which supported by the Hezbollah movement.
Last year, U.S. authorities announced the indictment of alleged international drug dealer Ayman Joumaa, who is reportedly tied to Hezbollah.
Joumaa is accused of using the money laundering scheme for funds made in importing cocaine from Mexico to the United States and is suspected of having links to Hezbollah and the powerful Zeta Mexican drug cartel.
Labels: Corruption, Crime, Culture, Drugs, Lebanon
posted by Pieface @ Saturday, November 10, 2012
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