Lebanese authorities have arrested a relative of ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad alongside the son of a notorious drug trafficker in northeastern Lebanon, charging them with possessing weapons and narcotics.
The suspects, identified as Suleiman Assad and Ali Zeiter, were taken into custody on Friday near the city of Baalbek. Suleiman Assad is the son of Hilal Assad, a cousin of the former Syrian president. Ali Zeiter is the son of Noah Zeiter, a suspected drug lord who was apprehended last year. Two judicial officials confirmed the detentions on Saturday under condition of anonymity, as they were not cleared to speak to the press.
The arrest occurs during a period of transition and flight following the collapse of the Assad family's five-decade rule in Syria in December 2024, when Islamist rebels took control of the country. Since then, numerous Syrian officials and relatives of the former president have sought refuge in neighboring countries, including Lebanon. Bashar Assad and his younger brother, Maher, currently reside in Russia.
According to a statement from the Lebanese army, three individuals were detained in total, including a Syrian national who lacked valid legal residency documents. Although the military did not publish their full names, the initials released matched those of Assad and Zeiter. The military reported that the suspects were found with weapons and hashish, a drug derived from cannabis fields commonly cultivated in northeastern Lebanon.
The suspects have undergone questioning under the supervision of judicial officials. This law enforcement action follows another notable development weeks prior, when Lebanese authorities extradited a retired major general, who previously commanded a division in Bashar Assad's military, back to Syrian authorities.
