Lebanon is Hysterical After Uncovering 'Suspicious' Shoes with Star of David | WATCH

Fears of Israeli influence appear to have extended beyond northern border tensions into everyday commerce, as Lebanese customs authorities conducted a series of raids and arrests over smuggled goods bearing what they described as "dangerous markings" - a Star of David.

The incident, reported by Al Jadeed TV on Sunday morning under the headline "Israeli Goods in the Lebanese Market," involved the seizure of a large quantity of foreign shoes from a vehicle in Sidon.

A video aired by Al Jadeed showed customs officials opening boxes from the shoe manufacturer and zooming in on the "suspicious" logo, which features a Star of David. This immediately raised suspicions of ties to Israel in Lebanon.

The discovery prompted expanded inspections in several areas in southern Lebanon, with detainees now under interrogation supervised by Lebanon's military and economic prosecutions.

The Economy Ministry and the office responsible for enforcing the boycott against Israel are reviewing the case to determine necessary actions.

Social media investigations revealed the brand as Globalwin, a company that originated in Europe and expanded to the United States, operating since 1999 with a focus on quality products, fast service, and global shipping.

Smuggling remains rampant in Lebanese markets, encompassing not only weapons from the Syrian border but also consumer goods and food items. While authorities frequently announce thwarted attempts, successful infiltrations often go unreported, unless they involve symbols like the Star of David.

In November, Al Jadeed broadcast a report on vegetable and fruit smuggling from Syria, featuring an interview with a smuggler who openly discussed deals for tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, olives, and more.

He claimed the lower prices benefited consumers without harming Lebanon or public health, though smuggling in the reverse direction, from Lebanon to Syria, is more challenging.

The channel expressed hope that security forces are addressing the issue.

This is not the first such controversy regading Hebrew and / Jewish / Israeli symbols. In July, during a Hezbollah event in Beirut's Dahieh district marking the eve of Ashura, toffee candies with Hebrew writing were distributed, sparking outrage on social media. Reports suggested they originated from a third country, as Lebanese law bans goods with Israeli identifiers under the boycott.

In April, U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus faced backlash for wearing a Star of David necklace during her visit, following similar criticism in February when she met with Army Commander Joseph Aoun while sporting a ring with the Magen David.

Ynet contributed to this article.