NE Syria’s Asayish arrest 3,485 individuals on drug-related charges
RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – The Internal Security Forces of North and East Syria (Asayish) announced on Wednesday the arrest of 3,485 individuals on drug-related charges, in addition to seizing thousands of captagon pills, crystal meth, and marijuana.
The Asayish read a statement providing the number of detained individuals, as well as the seizure of types of drugs in Northeast Syria region.
Hassan Kano, General Director of Drug Control in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) region, stated that the number of individuals involved in drug crimes exceeded 3,485 in 2,387 cases.
They include 305 cases involved in smuggling, with 623 individuals detained, and 542 cases involved distribution, with 1,003 individuals detained, as for cases in drug use, there were 1,540 cases with 1,851 individuals detained.
Kano told North Press that the seized quantities of crystal meth reached 41,622 kg, while 272,575 kg of cannabis, 275 cannabis cigarettes, 16,241 drug needles, and 3,092 captagon pills were seized as well.
He added that the Asayish seized 70,000 types of pills, 570 grams of heroin, 35.5 grams of cocaine, 541 cannabis seedlings, 1,745 kg of cannabis seeds, 117 large quantities of drug paraphernalia.
In a statement read at the end of the event, the Asayish accused parties that seek to destabilize the AANES-held areas by smuggling narcotics.
In 2023, the Asayish’s Anti-Drug Forces launched 1,946 operations in pursuing drug dealers and smugglers, and arrested 3,300 people including 172 drug smugglers, 2,165 drug users, and 963 drug dealers.
Several international reports, headed by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, accuse the Syrian government and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia of running large drug trafficking networks in this border area, as well as other Syrian regions.