TikTok star ‘Doctor Food’ detained in Lebanon, faces new drug trafficking trial

BEIRUT, Aug 23 — Lebanon apprehended an online food influencer on Sunday, known as "Doctor Food" on TikTok, who had been sentenced to life in absentia for drug trafficking, according to a judicial source speaking anonymously to AFP. The influencer, Georges Dib, who runs a confectionery business and boasts over eight million followers on TikTok, was apprehended at his residence in the northern Akkar governorate.

He will be transported to a detention facility in Mount Lebanon to undergo a fresh trial for additional drug trafficking allegations, as per the source.

In 2021, the Lebanese judiciary issued an arrest warrant against Dib, alleging he had "manufactured narcotics, trafficked, and smuggled them abroad," according to the National News Agency (NNA). The NNA disclosed that Lebanese authorities had seized confectionery and other food items at Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport, which contained narcotics and were produced in factories owned by Dib, destined for a Gulf nation, the agency reported.

Despite a previous arrest warrant and conviction, Dib persisted in posting videos on TikTok. In the previous month, following the public disclosure of his conviction, he refuted the accusations in a TikTok video, urging his followers to disregard the allegations. Dib gained popularity through his social media content, showcasing his cooking skills and daily life with his ex-wife, Shorouk, a Canadian-Palestinian who amassed over 15 million followers.

Their relationship ended after Shorouk accused him of abuse. On Saturday evening, Shorouk hosted a "divorce party" at a seaside resort in Lebanon, drawing thousands of followers.