Beirut, 18 Oct. (AKI) - Syrian workmen and soldiers backed by bulldozers on Tuesday began to shore up passes and trails on Syria's side of its porous border with Lebanon in a bid to halt the smuggling of goods, including chicken, destined for Lebanese markets. | "Psssst! Hey, buddy! Want to buy a hot chicken?" |
Damascus' decision to clamp down on the illegal trafficking comes in the wake of recent protests by authorities in Beirut. Lebanese retailers and merchants have been up in arms over the introduction of the smuggled goods which are sold at much lower prices than similar products available in Lebanon. But concern among consumers is also high after the seizure last week of a consignment of smuggled chickens triggered a countrywide alarm that such meat could be infected with the bird flu virus. | Humm, I don't belive it can be transmitted by chicken meat. Live birds are another matter. |
Gaps and passages along the Syrian-Lebanese frontier which is demarcated by mounds of soil have allowed smugglers to drive their cars and vans into Lebanon, circumventing official border crossings and evading customs controls. | Another wall to prevent illegal border crossing, how about that. Now why don't we, never mind..... |
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