Nearly 20 months after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, smuggling routes used to bring Syrians into Lebanon remain active, particularly along the northern border, despite the disappearance of the security conditions that had previously driven many to flee.

The pace of the clandestine crossings varies depending on security and weather conditions along the rugged and difficult-to-control border, according to security sources and accounts from people who have made the journey.

The economic disparity between the two countries remains a major incentive.

“The economic situation in Syria is bad,” one Syrian who entered Lebanon clandestinely told Annahar. “At best, a worker can earn around $10 a day, while in Lebanon a worker earns at least $20 and can make even more.”

The continued crossings add another dimension to Lebanon's unresolved Syrian displacement crisis. 

The Lebanese government says around 700,000 displaced Syrians have returned to Syria. The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, has neither confirmed nor rejected that figure, noting that not all Syrians in Lebanon are registered with the agency and that there are difficulties in establishing an accurate count.

The number of Syrians entering Lebanon illegally is even harder to determine because such crossings take place outside official border channels and therefore leave no reliable record.

A Lebanese security source told Annahar that the country's more than 300-km border with Syria, particularly in the north, is too long and geographically complex to allow authorities to completely shut down smuggling routes.

The border includes rugged terrain and areas where the two countries' territories are difficult to clearly separate, making comprehensive monitoring a major challenge.

Fewer migrants heading to Europe

The security source said there are no reliable statistics on the number of Syrians entering Lebanon clandestinely.

But the number of Syrians previously entering Lebanon with the intention of boarding boats for illegal journeys to Europe has fallen dramatically, he said, reaching almost zero compared with levels seen three or five years ago.

One such incident was recorded in recent weeks, when authorities intercepted a boat carrying irregular migrants.

The source recalled that the Lebanese army had organized a tour for journalists several years ago to demonstrate the realities of the border and the limitations facing authorities in securing it, including shortages of personnel and technical resources.

The difficulty is not unique to Lebanon, the source said, pointing to major countries such as the United States, which has also struggled to prevent smuggling along its border with Mexico.

When people are caught entering Lebanon clandestinely, they are returned to Syria and barred from entering the country again, the source said.

“Anyone who enters the country illegally is sent back to Syria and issued a ban preventing them from entering Lebanon again,” he said.

How the smuggling networks operate

The smuggling process typically begins with people being gathered in areas close to the Syrian border. Smugglers then transport them toward the Lebanese frontier, either by vehicle or on foot.

After crossing the border, the migrants are taken deeper into Lebanon through alternative routes designed to avoid security checkpoints.

A recent incident in the Jbeil district illustrated how smugglers use such routes, with those involved taking rugged and secondary roads to avoid the Madfoun checkpoint.

Several other routes are known to be used by smugglers, including the Wadi Khaled and Akkar areas and the course of the Nahr al-Kabir in the north. Further south, routes run through the Qaa area and the western Bekaa Valley toward the outskirts of Shebaa.

The cost of the journey ranges from $150 to $200 per person, with the price varying according to the number of people traveling together. Larger groups can result in lower individual costs, while smaller groups can push the price higher.