Jordan and Syria carry out first anti-drug operation since Assad regime’s collapse

Members of the Syrian security forces gather bags of narcotics at a defunct drug factory inside an abandoned building near the village of Hawik in the countryside of Al-Qusayr, Feb. 12, 2025. (File/AFP)

• Operation after months of coordination and intelligence sharing
• 1m captagon narcotic pills seized, 7 smuggling attempts foiled

LONDON: The anti-narcotics authorities of Jordan and Syria have foiled several cross-border smuggling attempts and seized large quantities of drugs.

The countries announced in a joint statement on Sunday that their forces foiled seven smuggling attempts along the Jordan-Syria border and seized drugs intended for distribution across the Middle East.

It is the first major operation by the two countries’ authorities since the December 2024 collapse of the Assad regime, which has been accused of profiting from the production and trafficking of drugs, specifically captagon pills.

The authorities said the operation was the result of months of field coordination and intelligence sharing, which led to the dismantling of criminal networks that threatened the security of both countries.

Several individuals arrested were involved in criminal activities in both Jordan and Syria. The operations disrupted their plans to manufacture and distribute illegal drugs, according to the Petra news agency.

Jordan and Syria reaffirmed their commitment to ongoing security and intelligence cooperation to combat drug trafficking across the region.

The operation follows a Jordan-Syria agreement in January to establish a security committee aimed at securing their borders and preventing the resurgence of the terror group Daesh.