Jordan says it downs drone loaded with narcotics coming from Syria
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Jordanian army said on Tuesday it downed a drone loaded narcotics that was coming from Syrian territory.
A military source of the Jordanian army said, “The officers at the border, in coordination with the military security services and the Anti-Narcotics Department (AND), detected a drone attempting to illegally cross the border from Syrian territory into Jordanian territory, which was shot down inside Jordanian territory.”
The Jordanian border witnesses regular smuggling attempts, as Jordan’s forces are working to monitor smuggling operations and thwart them.
The source added that the drone was carrying 500 grams of crystal meth, which was seized and transferred to the competent authorities.
With the increase of drug trafficking attempts to Jordan through Syria, Amman announced it would change the rules of combating to prevent the flow of drugs.
“The Jordanian army will deal firmly with any infiltration or smuggling attempt in order to protect citizens and the security of the Kingdom’s borders,” the source noted.
Early in May, Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi threatens with a military operation inside Syria in case “effective measures” to curb drug smuggling were not taken by the latter.
Drug trade is overwhelming southern Syria, as the price of a kilogram of hashish varies between 50.000-75.000 Syrian Pounds (SYP, equals $7-10), and a captagon pill costs only 500 SYP ($0.068).
Several international reports, headed by the US 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.