Drugs from Lebanon seized in Syria, one smuggler killed
By Saad al-Yaziji
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – Syrian border guards announced on Tuesday that they had seized a shipment of narcotics entering the country from Lebanon, following an armed clash with smugglers in the mountainous border region of Sarghaya, northwest of Damascus.
In an official statement, Moayad al-Salama, commander of the western sector of the Syrian Border Guard, said, “Our forces on the Syrian-Lebanese border in Sarghaya managed to set up a tight ambush to intercept a drug shipment heading into Syrian territory.”
He added that when the smugglers arrived at the ambush site, “the Lebanese traffickers opened fire on both the Syrian smuggler and border guards.” The exchange of fire, according to the statement, left one Lebanese smuggler dead and another wounded, who was later arrested and transferred to judicial authorities. The drugs were confiscated on-site.
An eyewitness living near Sarghaya told North Press that gunfire was heard in the early hours of Tuesday morning along the rugged border trails often used for illicit trade. Security forces maintained a heavy presence in the area following the clash.
Cross-border drug trafficking has been a recurring challenge on Syria’s western frontier. Sarghaya, located in the Qalamoun Mountains near Lebanon, has long been a smuggling corridor due to its rough terrain and limited surveillance. Syrian authorities frequently announce operations against narcotics networks, which are often linked to regional smuggling routes extending from Lebanon into southern Syria and beyond.
The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) has also reported increasing drug trafficking cases across territories it governs, stressing that the Internal Security Forces (Asayish) conduct regular security operations to intercept narcotics networks. Authorities in the northeast say these measures aim to prevent the destabilizing impact of narcotics trade on local communities.
Tuesday’s operation reflects a broader regional effort by Syrian border forces to curb smuggling activities that have intensified in recent years amid conflict and economic hardship. The seizure also underscores the risks faced by security units confronting heavily armed trafficking groups.
The Syrian Border Guard confirmed that the seized shipment has been transferred to specialized agencies for investigation, and the detained smuggler remains in custody pending judicial procedures.