Hassan Nasrallah ridiculed in social media video following Saudi drug bust

Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah was ridiculed on social media with a viral fake video depicting Nasrallah rolling a marijuana cigarette.

The video emerged following news of a giant drug bust in Saudi Arabia of illicit narcotics traveling from Lebanon to the Kingdom.

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Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, has traditionally used violent methods to clamp down on any dissent, even resorting to assassination – as in the case of Lebanese journalist Lokman Slim earlier this year.

The militia group’s power has waned recently, however, as the group has been at the center of Lebanon’s ongoing economic and political crisis. In addition, funding from Iran has dried up, while the Islamic Republic faces tough sanctions from the US, causing its own economy to tumble. This has led to more open dissention of Hezbollah, such as the recent social media video.

Middle East Hezbollah behind shipment of seized Captagon in Saudi Arabia: Independent Persian

In response to the drug bust by Saudi authorities, that saw the seizure of over five million Captagon pills, the Kingdom announced that it would ban the import of fruits and vegetables from Lebanon to combat smuggling. Drugs are often hidden in fruits and vegetables while being smuggled, as in the case of the latest bust with Captagon concealed in pomegranate fruit.

A source also told Independent Persian that there was no doubt that Hezbollah had been behind the drug shipment.

The source confirmed Hezbollah’s links to narcotics, particularly Captagon pills produced in Syria, and refuted claims by the group's affiliates that it is not involved in the illegal drugs' trade.

“Those pills were produced in Syria, and then smuggled to Lebanon, where they were eventually smuggled to Saudi Arabia,” the source said, according to Independent Persian.

Read more:

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Foiled drug shipment to Saudi Arabia was packed in Syria, not Lebanon: Sources