Lebanese Food Influencer Sentenced to Life over Hashish Smuggling from Baalbek

What happened

Al Jazeera reports that Lebanese food influencer Georges Hanna Dib, widely known as Dr Food, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labour and fined 120 million Lebanese pounds (approximately $1,341) for smuggling hashish concealed in cake packaging from Baalbek in eastern Lebanon. The drug shipment was transported to Turkiye before being shipped internationally.

The judgment was handed down by Judge Elie al-Helou under Lebanon’s Narcotics Law, which addresses the manufacture and trafficking of banned substances. Dib, who is not a licensed doctor but commands over five million followers on TikTok, was sentenced in absentia, as he is believed to be out of the country. Other Lebanese and Syrian nationals implicated were also sentenced and stripped of their civil rights.

The court case follows a major 2024 drug bust which recovered 820 kilograms of hashish hidden inside cake packaging, a method allegedly linked to Dib’s operations. Initially, Dib was recommended a life sentence and hard labour in February 2025 after being charged with manufacturing, trafficking, and smuggling drugs abroad by a Mount Lebanon investigative judge.

Known from the source

• Georges Hanna Dib, aka Dr Food, was sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labour and fined 120 million Lebanese pounds.
• The sentence relates to smuggling hashish from Baalbek concealed in cake packaging.
• The drug shipment was transported to Turkiye and beyond.
• The case followed a 2024 drug bust recovering 820kg of hashish.
• Dib was sentenced in absentia and is believed to be outside Lebanon.

What remains unclear

Despite the sentencing, Dib’s social media accounts have not addressed the court decision. His Instagram page continues to engage followers through giveaways and promotional content, with the last story posted in March showing him interacting with displaced Lebanese near Beirut’s waterfront. This suggests his online presence remains active despite legal developments.

What remains unclear: Current whereabouts of Georges Hanna Dib and whether Lebanese authorities have issued detention requests or issued warnings. Any official comments or follow-up reporting from Lebanese judicial or law enforcement bodies beyond Al Jazeera’s report. Verification of any ongoing investigations or arrests related to the case. Ensure currency and accuracy of social media activity attributed to Dib given the evolving situation.

Evidence note

Outside Brief has treated the source material as confirmed within the supplied source context, while retaining attribution to the original publisher.

Original source: Al Jazeera Lebanon. Open the source.