Saudi prince arrested in massive drug bust in Beirut airport

A Saudi prince and four others were detained on Monday in Lebanon in the largest drug bust in the history of the Beirut airport, a security source said.

Saudi prince Abdel Mohsen Bin Walid Bin Abdulaziz and four others were detained by airport security while allegedly "attempting to smuggle about two tons of Captagon pills and some cocaine," which were distributed between 32 packages and eight suitcases, a security source told AFP. 

"The smuggling operation is the largest one that has been foiled through the Beirut International Airport," the source said on condition of anonymity. 

Captagon is the brand name for the amphetamine phenethylline, a synthetic stimulant. The banned drug is consumed mainly in the Middle East and has reportedly been widely used by fighters in Syria.

The security source said the drugs had been packed into cases that were waiting to be loaded onto a private plane that was headed to Saudi Arabia. 

The five Saudi citizens were first questioned by Lebanon's customs authority, before being transferred to the Office of the Appellate Public Prosecutor in Mount Lebanon.

According to the Lebanon Files online news outlet, the amount of Captagon was "estimated at around 1900 kilograms".

In April 2014, security forces foiled an attempt to smuggle 15 million capsules of Captagon hidden in shipping containers full of corn from Beirut's port.

Lebanon's state news agency also reported Monday's drug bust, saying the private plane was to head to Riyadh and was carrying 40 suitcases full of Captagon.

Saudi Arabia's large royal family has had past run-ins with authorities in various countries.

Late last month, a Saudi prince was arrested in Los Angeles for allegedly trying to force a woman to perform oral sex on him at a Beverly Hills mansion.

But authorities decided not to pursue the charge, citing a lack of evidence.

In 2013, a Saudi princess was accused in Los Angeles of enslaving a Kenyan woman as a housemaid, but the charges were also eventually dropped.