EU pose sanctions on relatives of Syria’s Assad
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The European Union (EU) added on Monday 25 new individuals and eight entities on the Syria sanctions list, including members of President Bashar al-Assad’s family, accusing them of drug making and trafficking.
The European Council of the EU said, in a press release, “The majority of today’s designations target individuals and entities responsible for the production and trafficking of narcotics, notably Captagon.”
EU foreign ministers approved updating the sanction list in the “framework of EU restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria,” the council added.
The Captagon manufacturing in Syria dates back to the early years of the decade-long conflict, as the Syrian government used to give the drug to its soldiers to boost their fighting mood and addict them to battles.
The sanction included asset freezes and travel bans imposed on 25 people and 8 entities most of them companies.
US President Joe Biden signed a massive defense spending bill into law on Dec. 23, 2022 that included a proposal to combat trade of Captagon in the areas controlled by the Syrian government.