The Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) and its Democratic Gathering parliamentary bloc called for investigating the file of wheat and diesel oil smuggling into Syria and holding the perpetrators accountable.
MP Hadi Abul Hassan submitted a report to the Public Prosecution about smuggling supplies out of Lebanon, especially subsidized diesel and flour.
In a statement, the Democratic Gathering deputy called for “opening a judicial investigation and the prosecution and arrest of smugglers and those who cover them.”
“We submitted a report to the State Prosecution, and we urged Prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat, whom we trust, to open an investigation into what’s happening,” he remarked.
“We call on the judiciary to stop political interference. We also ask politicians not to intervene to cover the smugglers,” he underlined.
Abul Hassan noted that putting an end to smuggling was at the top of reforms requested by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to address the squandering of public funds.
Meanwhile, a patrol from the General Administration of Customs in Tripoli seized two trucks carrying tanks filled with diesel (about 22,000 liters), which were “heading towards a border area,” according to the National News Agency (NNA).
“While escorting the two trucks to the Customs checkpoint, the patrol was attacked by a large group of people, which allowed the two vehicles to flee,” the NNA noted. Those were then re-captured by a Lebanese army checkpoint.
