Bashar Al Assad’s cousin arrested in Lebanon drugs case
Security source says three men were detained while allegedly using drugs
Beirut: The Lebanese army arrested Suleiman Hilal Al Assad, a relative of former Syrian president Bashar Al Assad, in the Bekaa region of eastern Lebanon on Friday, along with two other people, according to a Lebanese security source.
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the three were detained while allegedly using drugs in Bekaa.
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Among those arrested was Ali, the son of Nouh Zaiter, described as one of Lebanon’s most prominent drug traffickers. Zaiter, who is subject to US, British and European sanctions, was arrested by the Lebanese army in late 2025.
The security source said Suleiman Hilal Al Assad was a civilian and not a former military officer.
The three detainees were transferred to the Lebanese Ministry of Defence for questioning, the source said.
No further details were immediately provided about the circumstances of the arrests or whether formal charges had been filed.
