BEIRUT, July 20 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's state security on Thursday smashed a human smuggling network consisting of seven Syrian and several Lebanese nationals in El Aabde in northern Lebanon, the National News Agency reported.
The operation arrested 79 Syrians who entered Lebanon illegally through the network, including 13 passengers who were planning to leave Lebanon by sea for Europe, said the report.
The arrested were referred to judicial bodies for investigation and other legal procedures, it added.
Lebanon's security forces have been stepping up efforts to crack down on the smuggling of Syrians into and out of the country.
Lebanon remains the country hosting the largest number of refugees per capita, with an estimated 1.5 million Syrian refugees scattered across the country.
Lebanon has urged the international community to secure a safe return for Syrian refugees to their homeland, as it is suffering an unprecedented financial crisis and the refugees weigh heavily on its already strained economy. ■
