Lebanese army detains Bashar Assad’s relative on weapons and drugs charges

Beirut (AP) — Lebanese authorities have detained a relative of former Syrian President Bashar Assad and the son of a notorious drug dealer in the northeastern part of the country on charges of carrying weapons and drugs, according to officials and the Lebanese army. The arrests took place on Friday near the city of Baalbek. Suleiman Assad, the son of Hilal Assad, a cousin of the ousted president, and Ali Zeiter, the son of Noah Zeiter, a suspected drug trafficker, were taken into custody.

Both individuals were accompanied by weapons and hashish, a cannabis-derived drug prevalent in the region. The Lebanese army confirmed the arrest of three individuals, including a Syrian citizen without proper legal documentation in Lebanon. The army stated that the detained individuals were questioned under judicial supervision.

The arrest of Suleiman Assad follows the recent handover of a retired major general to Syrian authorities who once commanded a division in Bashar Assad's army.