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The port of Beirut has long been regarded as one of the most corrupt facilities in Lebanon. It is known for its control by some political forces, led by “Hezbollah”, and contributes mainly to the budget deficit of the Lebanese state.
The Beirut explosion and the exchange of accusations about the responsibility for the presence of ammonium nitrate that was the cause of the disaster sheds light on the secrets of this facility and its obstacles to smuggling, tax evasion, bribery, dubious bidding proceeds and public auctions; and fictitious salaries that benefit employees affiliated with political forces.
And “Hezbollah” in the port of Beirut has a “fast line” that allows it to pass whatever it wants without supervision, and beneficial deals for officials and employees affiliated with the political forces that a large part of the Lebanese have demanded their departure. Among these forces are the “Free Patriotic Movement” led by President Michel Aoun, and the “Future Movement”, as quoted by the “French Press Agency” of those who follow the port file.
“The port is one of the most corrupt facilities,” said researcher Muhammad Shams al-Din of the International Information Center, who has published several studies on corruption and tax evasion, adding: “There is no effective government control over it, either to raise or to spend money. ” He adds: “The same quota system in the state applies to the port.”
Hezbollah uses the port to move goods for itself or for businessmen affiliated with it, according to various sources. The former head of the Council of State, Judge Shukri Sader, told the French press: “It is known that there are goods for the resistance (Hezbollah) passing through the port and the airport,” with the exception of the border crossings.
He added that “both the port and the airport have a military line where goods and merchandise pass without inspection or surveillance,” explaining: “This line of resistance is the result of an implicit agreement with the authorities, as long as no one approaches. to her”.
Knowing that in 2019, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on prominent Hezbollah official Wafiq Safa for his exploitation of “Lebanese ports and border crossings for smuggling and travel facilitation on behalf of (Hezbollah)” , according to a statement from the US embassy at the time. . The statement cited an example of “Hezbollah’s use of Safa to facilitate the passage of materials, including illegal drugs and weapons, through the Beirut port.”
The port’s annual revenue is around $ 220 million, of which only $ 60 million goes to the state treasury, according to Shams al-Din, who explains that the rest is supposed to be used for wages and salaries and for development. from the port: “However, we don’t really know where it is going.”
Regarding customs, the annual volume of customs evasion, mostly from the port, is estimated between one and two billion dollars in a country in which the budget deficit during the last two years has ranged from five to more than six billion dollars.
Source: Middle East
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