国际英语新闻:Lebanon to tighten border policing to stop smuggling toward Syria

BEIRUT, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Higher Defense Council will increase the number of police stations along the borders with Syria to stop cross-border smuggling that caused huge losses to the government's revenues, according to a statement issued by the Lebanese Presidency on Wednesday.

The council will also hire patrol officers to monitor smugglers and impose serious punishments on anyone involved, the statement said.

Media reports circulated over the past few days about big quantities of diesel, fuel oil and wheat being smuggled to Syria from Lebanon.

George Brax, head of Syndicate of Owners of Petrol Stations, revealed days ago that the value of fuel oil being smuggled into Syria from Lebanon has reached 400 million U.S. dollars per year.