Can scanners restore control over Lebanon’s borders?

Lebanon has taken a practical step toward strengthening border oversight by transferring a cargo scanner from the Port of Beirut to the Masnaa border crossing, replacing the previous inspection system that had been out of service. Following the completion of logistical preparations, customs authorities are expected to resume full scanning operations at the country’s busiest land crossing with Syria.

While the move represents an important improvement in customs inspection and anti-smuggling efforts, military expert General Fadi Daoud argued in an interview with The Beiruter that technology alone cannot address Lebanon’s long-standing border challenges. The effectiveness of cargo scanners ultimately depends on broader reforms, including tighter control over illegal crossings, stronger coordination among security agencies, and greater cooperation between Lebanon and Syria.

An important tool against smuggling

General Daoud highlighted that scanners play an important role in strengthening border security by monitoring the movement of commercial goods entering and leaving Lebanon.

According to Daoud, cargo scanners provide customs authorities with an effective means of detecting prohibited materials and identifying suspicious shipments before they cross the border.

They contribute to securing the border and regulating the movement of goods entering and leaving the country. They also help detect prohibited items and combat smuggling.

At official border crossings such as Masnaa, scanners improve transparency while reducing reliance on lengthy physical inspections. According to Daoud, they can also help facilitate legitimate trade by allowing customs officers to process shipments more quickly while focusing detailed inspections on high-risk cargo identified through scanning technology.

For businesses operating legally, faster inspections can reduce transportation delays and improve the efficiency of cross-border commerce.

Technology alone cannot secure the border

Despite recognizing the scanner’s importance, General Daoud cautioned against viewing it as a comprehensive solution to Lebanon’s border security problems.

He noted that while scanners are highly effective at official crossing points, many smuggling networks deliberately avoid legal checkpoints altogether by using dozens of unofficial routes along the Lebanese-Syrian border. “If someone wants to move a suspicious vehicle,” he explained, “they are unlikely to drive it through the scanner at Masnaa. They will use one of the many side roads surrounding the crossing.”

Only a small portion of smuggling passes through legal border crossings. Much of it takes place through unofficial routes.

This reality highlights one of Lebanon’s most persistent security challenges. Daoud noted that the country’s eastern border includes numerous mountainous areas and informal crossings that have historically facilitated the movement of fuel, weapons, narcotics, agricultural products, subsidized goods, and other illicit cargo. As a result, strengthening security at one official crossing may reduce certain forms of smuggling without eliminating broader trafficking networks operating outside state control.

Therefore, Daoud stressed that installing scanners without addressing these alternative routes risks creating only limited improvements in border security.

You must close the illegal crossings, shut down the smuggling routes, deploy state security forces along the border, and then the scanner becomes truly effective.

The need for an integrated border security strategy

According to Daoud, effective border control requires a comprehensive security system rather than isolated technological upgrades. In this regard, he identified three essential pillars necessary for lasting improvements.

The first is the formal demarcation of the Lebanese-Syrian border. Clearly defining the international boundary would enable both governments to establish precise areas of responsibility for monitoring and enforcement while reducing ambiguity in contested areas.

The second pillar is sustained cooperation between Lebanon and Syria on border management. Security coordination, intelligence sharing, and joint efforts to combat organized smuggling would significantly strengthen enforcement capabilities on both sides of the frontier.

Once there is coordination, you establish an integrated system whose mission is to secure the border.

The third is establishing an integrated border management framework that combines the efforts of Customs, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), the Internal Security Forces (ISF), and the Land Border Regiments.

Rather than relying on a single institution or technological solution, Daoud argues that border security requires coordinated planning, operational cooperation, and continuous surveillance across the entire frontier.

He also highlighted that deploying scanners at official crossings should complement, not replace, the presence of military units and security forces tasked with monitoring illegal routes.

Installing a scanner does not mean you have secured the border. Border control requires an integrated system.

Reviving inspection capabilities at Lebanon’s main land crossing

The Masnaa crossing serves as Lebanon’s principal land gateway to Syria and, by extension, to several Arab markets. Thousands of commercial trucks, passenger vehicles, and shipments transit through the crossing each month, making it one of the country’s most strategically significant border points. This is especially true as Lebanon depends heavily on the Masnaa crossing for regional trade, particularly exports destined for Gulf countries via Syria and Jordan.

The transfer of the scanner from the Port of Beirut is intended to restore an essential layer of customs inspection that had been unavailable since the previous machine became inoperable. Once operational, the scanner will allow customs officials to inspect cargo containers and trucks more efficiently without relying solely on manual inspections.

Modern cargo scanners use advanced imaging technology to examine the contents of vehicles and containers without unloading them. This significantly accelerates customs procedures while enabling authorities to identify concealed goods, undeclared merchandise, weapons, narcotics, and other prohibited items.

The restoration of scanning capabilities is also expected to enhance customs enforcement by improving the detection of customs fraud and reducing opportunities for tax evasion.

Hence, the new scanner enhances Lebanon’s ability to monitor what passes through its official gateway. However, it remains insufficient in and of itself. To significantly curb smuggling will ultimately depend on the state’s ability to secure the various illegal routes that remain unmonitored as well as establishing a crucial integrated security system.