A Lebanese court sentenced George Hanna Dib, known as "Dr Food," to life imprisonment on July 16, following his conviction for drug trafficking. The ruling by the Judicial Council in Beirut concluded a case that began in 2023, identifying Dib as a central figure in a narcotics network. The defendants were sentenced to life with hard labour, imposed financial fines, and stripped of their civil and political rights. This severe judgment shows the gravity of the offenses committed.
The court's decision also implicated five other individuals in connection with the drug trafficking operation. Among those convicted were Elie El Helou, Abdel Karim Al-Sammak, Mohsen Diab, and Ziad Al-Daghidi. These individuals were also handed life imprisonment sentences for their involvement in the network, which allegedly operated internationally. The Judicial Council's full ruling aimed to dismantle the entire operation and hold all participants accountable.
Details of the Operation
Authorities discovered 16 pieces of cannabis resin, shaped into rectangular blocks and wrapped in nylon, concealed within "Dr Food" chocolate boxes. These items were found in the luggage of defendant Abdel Karim Al-Sammak as he prepared to travel to Turkey. The discovery took place at Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport, where Al-Sammak intended to board a flight. Alongside the illicit substances, chocolate bars bearing the same "Dr Food" trademark were also present in his luggage. The presence of both the narcotics and the branded chocolate bars in Al-Sammak's possession provided key evidence linking the drug operation to the "Dr Food" brand. The 16 pieces of cannabis resin were specifically found in the form of rectangular blocks, wrapped in nylon, and placed inside chocolate boxes bearing the "Dr Food" trademark, along with chocolate bars carrying the same brand, all within Abdel Karim Al-Sammak's luggage.
The indictment detailed the specific method of concealment used in the operation. It stated that three bars containing sticks of cannabis resin were meticulously placed inside each chocolate box. This arrangement was designed to mimic ordinary wafer bars, matching them precisely in size and packaging. The sophisticated concealment technique aimed to make the drug-filled bars indistinguishable from their legitimate counterparts, allowing them to pass undetected. The 16 pieces of cannabis resin were specifically found wrapped in nylon and then inserted into the branded chocolate packaging attributed to "Dr Food." The method noted a deliberate effort to disguise the narcotics within commercially available products associated with George Hanna Dib's brand, leveraging the brand's reputation to facilitate illicit activities. The indictment further clarified that three bars containing sticks of cannabis resin were placed inside each box instead of wafer bars, ensuring they matched in size and packaging and could not be distinguished from them by casual inspection.
Legal Proceedings and Context
Criminal Court President Judge Elie El Helou issued a ruling in absentia against content creator George Hanna Dib, known as "Dr Food," and several other individuals concerning a drug smuggling and trafficking case. The defendants received sentences of life with hard labour, accompanied by substantial financial fines. Additionally, they were stripped of their civil and political rights as part of the judicial decision, a common consequence for such severe felonies in Lebanese law.
The court convicted the defendants under Article 125 of the Narcotics Law, further citing Article 150, which pertains to the manufacture of narcotic substances. The legal framework applied reflects the severity of the charges brought against Dib and his co-defendants. The defendants' actions constituted the felonies set out in Articles 125 and 150 of the Narcotics Law, in conjunction with Article 13 of the same law, offenses punishable by life with hard labour. Despite the court's findings, George Hanna Dib maintained his innocence. "We are certain of our innocence and have submitted proof of that, and we are present in the market," Dib stated, challenging the legal proceedings and outcomes.
The Accused and His Reach
The ruling was issued against George Hanna Dib, known as "Dr Food," a content creator with approximately four million followers on Facebook. His significant online presence provided a wide reach, which prosecutors allege was exploited for the trafficking operation. In February 2025, Ziad Al-Daghidi, the investigating judge in Mount Lebanon, charged Dib, his commercial company "Doctor Food World Wide SAL," and 10 other individuals. The charges included "manufacturing drugs from cannabis resin, packaging them within the company's biscuit products, and shipping them from Lebanon abroad via Turkey, exploiting the company's name and global reputation to promote and traffic drugs." A Lebanese judicial source stated that "the ruling does not concern Dib alone but also several associates of different nationalities and is an extension of an earlier indictment." George Hanna Dib has maintained his innocence, previously stating, "We are certain of our innocence and have submitted proof of that, and we are present in the market." This assertion of innocence comes despite the overwhelming evidence presented during the judicial proceedings.
Judicial Process and Future
The ruling against George Hanna Dib, known as "Dr Food," was issued in absentia in March, according to a Lebanese judicial source. The source clarified that "the ruling was issued in absentia in March and is not new, but its contents circulated recently." The ruling was officially issued on July 16. The defendants' actions were found to constitute felonies under Articles 125 and 150 of the Narcotics Law, combined with Article 13 of the same law. These offenses are punishable by life imprisonment with hard labor, along with financial penalties and the stripping of civil and political rights. A Lebanese judicial source confirmed that "Dib is in hiding, and for this reason the ruling was issued against him in absentia," indicating his current status as a fugitive from justice. The ongoing legal process shows Lebanon's commitment to combating drug trafficking and holding high-profile individuals accountable for their involvement in such illicit activities.
