Chekri Mahmoud Harb

Chekri Mahmoud Harb, is a Lebanese-Colombian national key figure in Hezbollah-linked drug trafficking and money laundering operations. Designated by U.S. authorities for his criminal activities, he operated under aliases like "Taliban" and coordinated cocaine shipments from Colombia to Europe and the Middle East.

Criminal activities

Drug trafficking

Harb facilitated large-scale cocaine shipments, with Hezbollah receiving 12% of the profits from his network. His operations involved partnerships with South American cartels, including the Medellín Cartel and La Oficina de Envigado.

Money laundering

He used front companies like Comercial Jinan S.A. and VARIEDADES HARB SPORT to launder millions of dollars, much of which funded Hezbollah.

Legal actions

Arrest and sanctions

Harb was arrested in 2008 during Operation Titan, a U.S.-Colombian joint investigation targeting Hezbollah's narco-terrorism ties The U.S. Treasury designated him and his businesses under counterterrorism sanctions.

Conviction

He faced charges for drug trafficking and money laundering, with evidence linking him to Hezbollah's financial networks in the tri-border area of South America.

Regional impact

Harb's activities underscored Hezbollah's exploitation of Latin American drug routes to finance terrorism. His case highlighted concerns about the group's operational reach and the vulnerability of South American criminal networks to terrorist exploitation.