BEIRUT, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese security forces on Friday busted a human smuggling network operating between Syria and Lebanon, the National News Agency reported.
The network of five Syrian nationals smuggles people from Lebanon's northern region of Wadi Khaled to the southern city of Nabatieh in exchange for a sum of money, according to the report.
The suspects were referred to judicial authorities for investigation, the report added.
The country's security forces have been cracking down on human smuggling, particularly in areas near the border with Syria, as Lebanon is suffering a steep financial crisis and the refugees weigh heavily on its already strained economy.
Lebanon, a country hosting the largest number of refugees per capita, is home to about 1.5 million Syrian refugees. Its authorities have been calling on the international community to assist them in returning refugees to their homeland.
