On December 2, 2020, Mounir Abou Rjeili, a retired colonel in customs, was found dead in his house in Qartaba, Jbeil district. As he was not returning calls from his family, his wife went to check up on him at their family home in the mountains only to find him dead. 

During the investigation, it was found that the head was injured by a sharp instrument, which could have led to his death. The victim’s limbs were not broken and there wasn’t any sign of forced entry. Although the police and the internal security forces were taking part in the investigation and surveillance cameras were found in the surroundings, the offender was never caught. 

The lack of a proper investigation led different narratives to emerge, some stories appearing more credible than others. 

According to an unverified version, Mounir Abou Rjeily was murdered during a break-in during which no personal valuables were stolen but a TV. Other more credible stories link Abou Rjeily’s death to the Beirut port explosion. It was rumored that he had been summoned to testify before the investigation judge and then killed to silence him.

Several media sources questioned the accuracy of this account, since Abou Rjeily did not work at the port; he was head of the anti-smuggling unit in the Higher Customs Council as well as for the customs sectors on land and at the airport of Beirut. 

The Ministry of Interior has confirmed that, until now, there is no link between the port explosion and the murder of Mounir Abou Rjeily.