Beirut, July 10 (IANS) The Lebanese Navy thwarted the smuggling of 25 illegal Syrian immigrants off the shore of the town of Qalamoun, a security source confirmed.

The source told Xinhua news agency that the immigrants, including women and children, were arrested on Friday several miles away from the shore.

The source added that the detainees were in possession of life jackets, food and luggage, and they were transferred to an army centre for interrogation.

Human smuggling networks have been active in northern Lebanon, in exchange for sums of money ranging between $2,000 and $3,000 dollars per person.

According to the UN Refugee Agency, Lebanon remains the country hosting the largest number of refugees per capita.

There are, an estimated 1.5 million Syrian refugees, and some 16,000 refugees of Ethiopian, Iraqi, Sudanese and other origins, in addition to over 200,000 Palestinian refugees.

An estimated 88 per cent of Syrian refugees in Lebanon are living below the extreme poverty line.

--IANS ksk/