Jordan accuses Syrian forces of aiding drug smugglers

A Jordanian security official accused groups from the army of the Syrian government of collaborating with drug smugglers and some organised gangs that try to cross from the Syrian territories to Jordan, according to the local Al-Ghad newspaper.

"Undisciplined forces from the Syrian army are cooperating with drug smugglers and their gangs, which have become organised gangs," said Brigadier General Ahmed Hashem Khalifat, the director of the Border Security Directorate in the Jordanian army.

He claimed that the drug smugglers, and organised gangs “are supported by these forces and their security services, besides the militias of Hezbollah and Iran deployed in southern Syria,” according to Al-Ghad.

Khalifat stated that from the beginning of the year until the beginning of this month, the quantities of drugs seized by border guards increased to over 19 million Captagon pills, about half a million cannabis chunks, and five bags of drug pills. The quantities seized across the same borderline last year amounted to nearly 14 million Captagon pills, and 15,000 cannabis chunks.

"We are planning to use armed aircrafts with no pilot to deter drug smuggling and armed infiltration on the northern and eastern borders, besides using drones to monitor the borderline in the northern region," Khalifat said.

Khalifat revealed a current development of radars whose task is to control the “drones” loaded with drugs launched by smugglers from the Syrian side towards Jordan.