Lebanese airport security intercepted an attempt to smuggle $2.5 million in cash from Iran to Lebanon via Sabiha Gökçen Airport in Türkiye. The funds were believed to be destined for Hezbollah after Lebanon banned Iranian civilian aircraft from landing in Beirut and imposed strict inspections on flights arriving from Iraq.
Authorities at Beirut Airport seized the cash from a Lebanese national, identified as (M.H.), upon his arrival on a Pegasus Airlines flight from Sabiha Gökçen.
A security source stated that customs officers discovered the undeclared funds in a suitcase and immediately confiscated them under judicial orders.
The detainee admitted that he had traveled from Beirut to Türkiye on Thursday night, spent several hours in the duty-free area, and received the money from an Iranian national before returning to Lebanon.
This operation highlights Hezbollah’s shift to alternative funding channels after Lebanon closed its airspace to Iranian civilian aircraft and tightened border controls on land routes through Syria.
Increased scrutiny on passengers arriving in Beirut has further complicated traditional smuggling methods.
A judicial source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the confiscation of the funds was carried out under judicial orders. The source explained that the money was seized because the individual carrying it had failed to declare it in advance or provide a legitimate reason for bringing it into Lebanon.
The source emphasized that Beirut Airport security enforces legal financial regulations, which prohibit carrying more than $50,000 in cash without prior declaration and a stated purpose. Any unjustified smuggling of funds falls under the category of money laundering.