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	''Legal and sanctions status as of 18 September 2026.''		''Legal and sanctions status as of 18 September 2026.''

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Editor: New article: Noah Zaitar

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New article: Noah Zaitar

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'''Noah Zaitar''' (also rendered Nooh Zaiter) was named in coordinated U.S. and U.K. [[Captagon trafficking and Hezbollah|Captagon]]-related sanctions announcements in March 2023. U.S. Treasury described him as a Lebanese arms dealer and drug smuggler with close ties to the Syrian [[Syrian Fourth Division and Captagon|Fourth Division]] and certain [[Hezbollah]] members. The U.K. described him as involved in smuggling Captagon and other narcotics and associated with the Syrian regime and Hezbollah. These are attributed government accounts; neither announcement supplies an itemized transaction tracing a particular Captagon shipment to a Hezbollah payment.<ref name="r1" /><ref name="r2" />

== March 2023 American action ==

Treasury said Zaitar was wanted by Lebanese authorities for drug trafficking at the time of its 2023 announcement and reportedly conducted illicit activity under the protection of the [[Syrian Fourth Division and Captagon|Fourth Division]]. It designated him under the counterterrorism authority Executive Order 13224, as amended, for providing support to [[Hezbollah]]. The authority and stated basis are more specific than a general claim of association, but the public announcement does not itemize the underlying support or establish a court conviction.<ref name="r1" /><ref name="r2" /><ref name="r3" /><ref name="r4" />

== British action ==

In the same month, the U.K. listed Noah Zaiter among [[Captagon trafficking and Hezbollah|Captagon]] sanctions subjects and said he was associated with both the Syrian regime and [[Hezbollah]]. Its short description does not specify quantities, routes, particular shipments, or a distinct organizational role. The U.S. and U.K. records corroborate the existence of government actions while differing in the detail they disclose.<ref name="r1" /><ref name="r2" /><ref name="r3" /><ref name="r4" />

== Scope of the allegations ==

The record supports a named person to narcotics edge, a stated tie to [[Syrian Fourth Division and Captagon|Fourth Division]] members, and a U.S. designation for support to [[Hezbollah]]. It does not show that the Fourth Division and Hezbollah were joint owners of any named shipment, or that Zaitar held a formal Hezbollah position. Dates and agencies should accompany assertions about wanted status and sanctions.<ref name="r1" /><ref name="r2" /><ref name="r3" /><ref name="r4" />

== November 2025 arrest ==

On 20 November 2025, the Lebanese army announced that it had arrested a person identified by the initials “N.Z.” on an existing set of warrants involving alleged narcotics and weapons offenses. L’Orient Today identified the arrested person as Nouh Zaiter. This later arrest changes the time context of Treasury’s 2023 statement that he was wanted; those November reports did not establish a final court outcome. Subsequent reporting described rulings in particular cases during 2026.<ref name="r1" /><ref name="r2" /><ref name="r3" /><ref name="r4" />

== Minor-case rulings in February 2026 ==

On 3 February 2026, MTV, citing the National News Agency, reported decisions in forty security cases: four convictions with a one-month sentence each, three acquittals for insufficient evidence and dismissal of thirty-three cases because the limitation period had expired. The report also described confiscation of weapons, military equipment and radios. These different dispositions should not be collapsed into a conviction on all charges or a general acquittal.<ref name="r5" />

== Scope of the February decisions ==

Zaitar’s lawyer, Saliba al-Hajj, told LBCI that the rulings concerned minor offenses, including gunfire. He said major allegations involving drugs, murder and firing on the army remained in separate felony proceedings at that time. His explanation qualified the scope of the February rulings; it did not announce the eventual outcomes of those other cases.<ref name="r6" />

== Acquittal in a separate drug case ==

On 14 July 2026, RED TV reported that a military court acquitted Zaitar in one of numerous felony cases. The case concerned drug trafficking and promotion and an allegation involving four kilograms of drugs seized in 2019, later stolen from the central antinarcotics office. Zaitar denied that the drugs had returned to him and denied knowing the officers who reported the claim. His defense sought acquittal for insufficient evidence and doubt. The reported acquittal concerns that case; the article did not say every proceeding against him had ended.<ref name="r7" />

== Institutional context and denial ==

Valensi and Avraham’s July 2024 INSS analysis describes the role of protection and border networks in sustaining [[Captagon trafficking and Hezbollah|Captagon]] flows under the Assad government. It provides context for Treasury’s earlier allegation about [[Syrian Fourth Division and Captagon|Fourth Division]] protection, without establishing a Zaitar shipment or payment. Valensi and Mizrahi’s January 2023 INSS analysis reported [[Hezbollah]]’s general denial of involvement. That organizational response is separate from Zaitar’s defense in the July 2026 case.<ref name="r8" /><ref name="r9" />

== See also ==
* [[Hezbollah Business Affairs Component]]
* [[Lebanese Canadian Bank]]

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="r1">[https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy1369 Treasury, Syrian and Lebanese Captagon designations, 28 March 2023]</ref>
<ref name="r2">[https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tackling-the-illicit-drug-trade-fuelling-assads-war-machine UK FCDO, coordinated Captagon sanctions, 28 March 2023]</ref>
<ref name="r3">[https://www.lebarmy.gov.lb/ar/content/%D8%AA%D9%88%D9%82%D9%8A%D9%81-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%86-%D9%86%D8%B2-%D8%A3%D8%AD%D8%AF-%D8%A3%D8%AE%D8%B7%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%86-%D8%A8%D8%AC%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%85-%D9%85%D9%86%D9%87%D8%A7-%D8%A5%D8%B7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%82-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%B9%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B5%D8%B1-%D9%88%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%83%D8%B2-%D9%84%D9%84%D8%AC%D9%8A%D8%B4-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AA%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%B1 Inherited source: https://www.lebarmy.gov.lb/ar/content/%D8%AA%D9%88%D9%82%D9%8A%D9%81-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%86-%D9%86%D8%B2-%D8%A3%D8%AD%D8%AF-%D8%A3%D8%AE%D8%B7%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%86-%D8%A8%D8%AC%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%85-%D9%85%D9%86%D9%87%D8%A7-%D8%A5%D8%B7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%82-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%B9%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B5%D8%B1-%D9%88%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%83%D8%B2-%D9%84%D9%84%D8%AC%D9%8A%D8%B4-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AA%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%B1]</ref>
<ref name="r4">[https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1485681/drug-kingpin-nouh-zaiter-arrested-by-lebanese-army.html Inherited source: https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1485681/drug-kingpin-nouh-zaiter-arrested-by-lebanese-army.html]</ref>
<ref name="r5">[https://www.mtv.com.lb/en/news/1649937 MTV / National News Agency, military court rulings, 3 February 2026]</ref>
<ref name="r6">[https://www.lbcgroup.tv/news/lebanon-news/903550/lbci-lebanon-articles/en LBCI, lawyer explains scope of Zaiter rulings, 3 February 2026]</ref>
<ref name="r7">[https://www.redtvlebanon.com/article/17604-أول-حكم-عسكري-بحق-نوح-زعيتر-والنتيجة-براءة RED TV, military court acquittal in one Zaiter felony case, 14 July 2026]</ref>
<ref name="r8">https://www.inss.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/No.-1879-.pdf</ref>
<ref name="r9">[https://www.inss.org.il/publication/narcos-syria-lebanon/ “Narcos,” Syria-Lebanon Style | INSS]</ref>
</references>

''Legal and sanctions status as of 18 September 2026.''

[[Category:People]]
[[Category:Captagon trade]]

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