Lebanon’s most wanted drug trafficker taken into custody, authorities say

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s most wanted drug trafficker was arrested Thursday after years on the run, authorities said.

Noah Zeiter was taken into custody during a raid near the eastern city of Baalbeck, according to a high-ranking military official. Zeiter eventually turned himself in to military intelligence after a standoff. The official spoke on condition on anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak to the media.

The Lebanese army didn’t disclose Zeiter’s name, but referred to the captive by his initials.

Lebanon’s army has been cracking down on the country’s illicit drugs network, which often transported narcotics through its porous borders with Syria into Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. The wealthy monarchies have accused the powerful Hezbollah group of playing a major role