Beirut [Lebanon], May 1 (ANI/Xinhua): Two human smugglers and 23 Syrian nationals planning to leave for Cyprus by sea were arrested in northern Lebanon on Sunday, the National News Agency reported.
The smugglers admitted to having received 3,000 U.S. dollars per person for smuggling them from the northern city of Tripoli to Cyprus during night time.
The arrested smugglers and Syrian nationals have been referred to judicial bodies for investigation and legal procedures.
Lebanon has been facing an unprecedented economic crisis, forcing some people to escape the country illegally.
Recently, a boat carrying dozens of Lebanese and Syrian migrants sank off the coast near the northern city of Tripoli. The Lebanese army managed to rescue 45 people, and the search for the missing is still underway. (ANI/ Xinhua)