Lebanese man barred from entering the country for driving at 170 km/h on Al-Salmi

A Lebanese migrant did not expect that a traffic violation he committed about two months ago would lead to his being barred from entering the country upon his return via the Salwa border crossing, after Ministry of Interior systems revealed that he was listed on the deportation lists due to a serious speeding offense.

A security source told "Al-Anbaa" that the migrant had previously left the country by land to his homeland in June, before attempting to return last week through the Salwa crossing. However, border officials, after checking his file in the Ministry of Interior’s computer system, found a "block" on his record and a ban on his entry, stemming from a traffic violation involving driving his vehicle at a speed of 170 km/h.

Responding to a question about how the migrant was able to leave the country despite regulations prohibiting any migrant from departing before settling all financial dues owed to the state, such as fines from traffic violations or outstanding electricity bills, the source explained that the short time interval between the speeding infraction and his departure prevented the violation from appearing in the security computer system at that time.

The source noted that traffic violations recorded electronically by "Rasad" (the traffic monitoring system) appear to the violator within a brief period, which can be up to 30 minutes. In contrast, indirect traffic violations captured by surveillance cameras require a longer period, ranging between 24 and 48 hours, to be verified and entered into the Ministry of Interior’s systems.

The source clarified that the migrant informed border officials that he may not have realized he had exceeded the speed limit, reaffirming his willingness to pay the prescribed traffic fine of 150 dinars and have his vehicle impounded. However, this did not alter the decision made against him; he was asked to return to where he came from, with instructions to arrange the procedures regarding his vehicle and its return to the country according to established protocols.

The source emphasized that the incident falls within the framework of the Ministry of Interior’s application of penalties against perpetrators of serious traffic violations, particularly speeding. He noted that measures do not stop at issuing a violation or impounding the vehicle; for migrants, they extend to deportation and a ban on re-entry into the country for any migrant whose speed exceeds 150 km/h.

He explained that a migrant caught speeding has a "block" placed on his transactions and is added to arrest lists pending his departure from the country if the violation was indirect. In cases of direct violations, the migrant violator is taken to the Traffic Department and then to the Deportation Department, with a view to listing him among those unauthorized to re-enter the country.

The Ministry of Interior announced in May last year the penalties for speeding violations, as part of tightened measures to curb serious traffic accidents. According to the ministry, for a migrant, exceeding 150 km/h results in a traffic violation, vehicle impoundment, and deportation from the country, while for a citizen, it results in a traffic violation and vehicle impoundment.

If the speed reaches 170 km/h, penalties for citizens include a traffic violation, precautionary detention, and vehicle impoundment. For migrants, it entails a violation, a two-month vehicle impoundment, and deportation.

If the speed exceeds 200 km/h, measures for citizens escalate to include a traffic violation, vehicle impoundment, and referral to prison. For migrants, a violation is issued, their vehicle is impounded, and they are referred for deportation, with the requirement to pay the fine value before being repatriated to their homeland.