Arrest of trafficking ring in Mashta Hassan

The General Directorate of Internal Security Forces (ISF) announced on Saturday that it has detained members of a human-trafficking ring accused of swindling hundreds of Ethiopian girls. The ISF statement said that the crackdown was carried out by Mashta Hassan police station in coordination with Jemaizeh Beirut Police Unit. The detained individuals included M.J, a Syrian national (50 years) who admitted to his involvement with the gang and to taking between USD 200 – USD 1000 from Ethiopian migrant domestic workers, the statement said. Following investigations and interrogations, all the members of the network were arrested, including A.A, the Lebanese ring leader, (40 years) who boasts a criminal record, mainly smuggling and fraud, according to the ISF statement. Two other Lebanese persons were also detained. During interrogation, the suspects confessed to the charges saying they tricked the MWDWs who have no identification papers claiming they would help them reach Turkish soil. What happened however, is that they drove the girls to an area near a Lebanese security checkpoint and contacted the authorities to turn them in, the statement went on to say. Investigation is still underway under the control of competent judiciary, and one suspect is still at large, the ISF statement concluded. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, April 2 and 3, 2017)