The latest scandal to hit Tripoli Port is yet another alarming reminder of Lebanon’s fragile grip on its own security. Authorities recently seized a shipping container packed with military-grade weapons, including fifty boxes of dismantled Kalashnikov and M16 assault rifles. Some boxes were deceptively marked as containing military apparel, but a closer inspection revealed a cache of prohibited arms.

This is not an isolated incident. It reflects a broader pattern of negligence, dysfunction, and deliberate malpractice at one of the country’s most critical entry points. The shipment’s seizure prompted swift action from security forces, who arrested the customs clearance agent (identified as A.G.) and the customs inspector. Both were referred, along with the confiscated weapons, to the Intelligence Directorate at the Ministry of Defense.

According to security information obtained by Kataeb.org, several individuals suspected of involvement in the smuggling operation have also been detained and are now in the custody of military intelligence. Notably, the Lebanese Army Command had been closely monitoring the case from the beginning. One of the initial suspects, Ali Hussein Al-Hourani of Jabal Mohsen, was apprehended, but investigative procedures later confirmed that he had no involvement in the arms deal.

Tripoli Port officials, meanwhile, have attempted to downplay the severity of the incident. They told kataeb.org that the container in question, which originated from China, contained 1,750 cartons of so-called accessories—not complete firearms. According to these sources, the crates included five types of components believed to be intended for hunting shops and their related hardware. 

At this stage, Lebanon can no longer afford to treat such incidents as bureaucratic failures or mere lapses in oversight. These are serious national security breaches. The state must act with urgency and purpose. First, Customs must immediately assign additional inspectors to Tripoli Port to improve monitoring and reduce opportunities for smuggling. Second, the government must invest in modern scanning technology. The scanners currently installed at the port are reportedly out of order—an unacceptable vulnerability in a country already teetering on the edge of collapse.

Most critically, Lebanon must acknowledge the greater danger at hand: large quantities of untraceable weapons are making their way into the country. Regardless of whether they are officially listed as commercial imports, there is no guarantee that they won’t be used for organized criminal activity or politically motivated acts of sabotage.

The solution lies in closing the loopholes that continue to enable smuggling through Lebanon’s ports and border crossings. The failure to act decisively now will only pave the way for further chaos later. The repeated scandals at Tripoli Port cannot be allowed to pass unnoticed. Lebanon’s stability depends on reclaiming control over its own borders.

This is an English adaptation of an Arabic article by Chady Hilani.