Damascus, Dec. 24 (SANA) Syria’s Ministry of Interior announced on Wednesday that the Anti-Narcotics Branch operating in the Syrian desert (Badia) foiled an attempt to smuggle narcotic substances to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan using balloons prepared for aerial transport.
In a statement published on the ministry’s Telegram channel, the ministry said the Anti-Narcotics Branch arrested an individual identified as M.R. after receiving precise information indicating his involvement in drug smuggling operations toward Jordan via balloons equipped for airborne trafficking.
The ministry explained that surveillance and field investigations led to the suspect’s arrest while in possession of the balloons, along with batteries and wireless communication devices used in smuggling operations. All seized items were confiscated and referred to the competent authorities to complete the necessary legal procedures.
The ministry added that the suspect was referred to the competent judiciary to take the appropriate legal action against him.
As part of ongoing counter-narcotics efforts, the Anti-Narcotics Branch in the Badia had previously carried out a qualitative operation on Nov. 27, based on accurate intelligence information, resulting in the seizure of a large quantity of narcotic substances prepared for smuggling and distribution. The confiscated materials included approximately 294,000 Captagon pills, around 16 kilograms of hashish, and four helium cylinders.
The ministry noted that these operations come within the framework of the continued efforts exerted by the Anti-Narcotics Department to combat smuggling crimes and illicit trafficking in narcotic substances.
