Syrian army foils drug smuggling attempt on Lebanon border
HOMS, Syria (North Press) – Syrian army units intercepted on Friday a drug smuggling attempt on the Lebanese border, the latest in a string of operations against narcotics trafficking in the country.
The Defense Ministry said troops clashed with a group of smugglers near the town of al-Dabousiya in western Homs after detecting their attempt to cross the frontier. No casualties were reported among government forces, it added.
Authorities said operations continue to pursue those involved in the attempt, stressing that measures remain in place to prevent both smuggling and infiltration along the border.
The incident comes only days after counter-narcotics units in Daraa seized nearly one million Captagon pills concealed in a soft drink shipment bound for a Gulf state via the Nasib crossing with Jordan. The Interior Ministry said the truck and narcotics were confiscated and the driver arrested.
Syrian officials say they remain committed to tackling drug smuggling networks, pledging that the country will not be used as a transit route for narcotics.
Captagon smuggling has become a growing regional concern, with large shipments intercepted in Jordan, the Gulf states, and Europe. The trade is seen by regional governments as a destabilizing factor fueling organized crime and armed networks.