Chekri Mahmoud Harb

Chekri Mahmoud Harb
Born	Lebanon
Nationality	Lebanese-Colombian
Organizations	Medellin Cartel, Hezbollah
Known for	Connections to Hezbollah
Criminal charge(s)	Narcotics trafficking, money laundering
Criminal penalty	Convicted, charges in multiple countries

Chekri Mahmoud Harb (Arabic: شكري محمود حرب, Spanish: Chekri Mahmud Harb), also known as "Taliban," is a Lebanese national with ties to Hezbollah and the Medellin Cartel. He is known for his involvement in international drug trafficking and money laundering operations, which have helped fund Hezbollah's activities. He is a Specially Designated Narcotics Trafficker by the U.S. Treasury Department under the Kingpin Act.

Harb was a central figure in a vast network that funneled proceeds from narcotics sales into the legitimate financial system, circumventing international sanctions and enabling Hezbollah.

Biography

Involvement in drug trafficking and money laundering

Chekri Harb first emerged on the radar of law enforcement through wiretaps in 2007, when he was overheard coordinating drug shipments on behalf of the Medellin Cartel. Harb outlined his smuggling route to an undercover DEA agent, explaining how he transported cocaine by sea to Port Aqaba, Jordan, and then into Syria. His ties to Hezbollah were confirmed when he nodded in response to the agent's mention of the group. He bragged to the undercover agent that he could get 950 kilos of drugs into Lebanon within hours. Reportedly, his network paid Hezbollah 12% of its narco-income. During the DEA's "Operation Titan," Harb was in fact revealed to be a significant player in Hezbollah's global drug trafficking and money laundering network. The U.S. Treasury Department designated him as a major narcotics trafficker under the Kingpin Act, linking him to the flow of millions of dollars in drug proceeds from Colombia to Lebanon.

Hezbollah connections

Intelligence reports indicated that Harb's operations allowed Hezbollah to launder hundreds of millions of dollars, mixing drug money with the proceeds of legitimate businesses. These funds helped the organization finance its operations despite international sanctions targeting the group. U.S. officials believe Hezbollah began turning to global criminal enterprises such as drug trafficking to offset declining financial support from Iran, which had been impacted by economic sanctions. "The ability of terror groups like Hezbollah to tap into worldwide criminal funding streams is the new post-9/11 challenge," said Derek Maltz, the DEA official who oversaw the agency's investigation into the Lebanese Canadian Bank.

Harb's network utilized the Lebanese Canadian Bank (LCB) as a hub for its money laundering operations. The U.S. Treasury investigation revealed that Hezbollah-affiliated businessmen, including Harb, were using LCB to move drug money into the legitimate financial system. Accounts linked to the network were used to channel drug proceeds from South America and Africa through Lebanon and into Europe. The investigation into LCB provided a glimpse into Hezbollah's broader financing apparatus, which involved everything from rough-cut diamonds to frozen chicken.

Hezbollah relies on its global financial network to support its terrorist activities. We will continue to take actions to expose and disrupt these illicit networks.

— U.S. Department of the Treasury press release, 2016

Operation Titan and international investigations

In 2008, the DEA's Operation Titan uncovered the full scale of Harb's involvement in drug trafficking, revealing his connections to Hezbollah and the Medellin Cartel. The operation resulted in the arrests of over 130 individuals, including Harb, and the seizure of 23 million dollars in drug money. Colombian authorities described Harb as a key intermediary in moving cocaine from Colombia to the Middle East.

Harb's criminal activities led to his designation as a Specially Designated Narcotics Trafficker by the U.S. Treasury Department under the Kingpin Act. His assets were frozen, and he was barred from conducting financial transactions with U.S. individuals or entities. Despite these measures, Harb's network continued to operate globally, with ties extending into Europe, Africa, and Latin America.