Undercover in Lebanon: Unraveling the web of forgery gangs and illegal migration

Lebanon is not only a victim of random displacement but has also become a haven for forgery gangs facilitating illegal migration, even through legal border crossings.

These gangs exploit people's desire to migrate, mainly Syrians and Iraqis. They provide mostly forged European passports or fake European visas to travel to European countries, often France or Germany.

Imagine that some individuals send the genuine documents of someone who had previously obtained a legitimate European passport through the mail to Lebanon.

Then, a relative who resembles them might attempt to enter Europe using these documents.

Believe it or not, this happens, and the danger lies in the fact that all security features of the passport are intact, and uncovering these tricks depends on the professionalism of the security personnel.

In the document security lab of the General Security at Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport, dozens of seized documents belong to civilians or individuals wanted locally or internationally for various crimes and from different nationalities.

Among the confiscated items was a forged stamp of the General Security carried by a Syrian to prove his legal entry into Lebanon.

The list of forgeries is extensive. In 2022, the General Security at Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport seized 769 fake documents, including 304 passports and 151 fake visas, held mainly by Syrian nationals.

At the airport, trained personnel examine documents and analyze facial features during entry and exit procedures.

Outside the airport, proactive work led the Lebanese General Security to apprehend a Lebanese and another Syrian in the Bekaa region, coordinating with his brother in Syria.

They were caught with forged documents, including Syrian passports and Palestinian travel documents with European visas. These offenses deserve strict penalties for those who manipulate the destinies of entire populations.