US to prize individuals for Information on Illegal shipments in Middle East
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The US navy said on Tuesday for the first time that it would offer rewards to individuals help in providing information about illegal cargoes, including illegal weapons or narcotics in waters across the Middle East.
The Bahrain-based US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) added in a statement that the rewards could be either cash or other items such as boats, vehicles, food or equipment.
“NAVCENT could potentially reward a maximum $100,000 payout for information or non-lethal assistance that supports counterterrorism operations or leads U.S. naval forces to successfully seize illicit cargo,” the statement read.
The NAVCENT covers strategic waterways such the Suez Canal and Strait of Hormuz.
The statement did not specified a country as being a target of the reward program, but its implementation could complicate the shipments of Iranian weapons to Tehran’s allies in Yemen, Syria and Lebanon, according to the US News.