Lebanese forces launch cannabis crackdown in north

The Bodai valley near Baalbek city in northern Lebanon soldiers today began destroying large plots of illegally planted cannabis, turning the once scenic site into chaos. The military operation took place despite security forces (protecting the tractors and bulldozers) were exposed to heavy shelling by locals who objected the destruction of the plants.  Road blocks implemented by armed groups were also reported in some of Baalbek’s surrounding districts.   A source in the Ministry of Interior told Arabstoday that the President of the drug controls office, Colonel Amer Mashmoushi, ordered the crackdown to start at 8.00 am in cooperation with the internal security forces and the Lebanese army who led the destruction of the plants with the help of 30 tractors and bulldozers. In less than an hour from the start of the operation, armed men from Aal Jaafar fired in the direction of the area. No injuries were reported on either side. The shelling started at around 9.00 am.  Witnesses say they heard machine guns and saw bullet holes in the internal security vehicle. A security source told Arabstoday that despite being fired at, the soldiers continued their operation: “even at about 10.30 am the operation was still going in the valley, despite the shooting and the attacks.”