Vienna, March 10 (SANA) – Syria held a high-level side event on Tuesday on the sidelines of the 69th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) in Vienna, in cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The event, titled “Syria’s Efforts in Combating Drugs after Liberation,” brought together Syrian officials and international experts at the Vienna International Centre to discuss measures taken to tackle illicit drug trafficking, particularly captagon.
Opening remarks were delivered by UNODC Acting Executive Director John Brandolino, while the discussion was moderated by Cristina Albertin, UNODC Regional Representative for the Middle East and North Africa.
During the session, Syrian officials outlined the country’s national strategy to combat drug trafficking, including dismantling trafficking networks, shutting down illegal manufacturing sites and strengthening law enforcement capabilities.
Deputy Interior Minister Maj. Gen. Abdul Qader al-Tahhan said Syria has launched a comprehensive campaign to dismantle drug trafficking networks and curb the production and smuggling of narcotics, stressing that the issue is treated as a matter of national security.
Al-Tahhan noted that authorities have recently dismantled several trafficking networks, destroyed illegal production facilities and disrupted supply routes linked to the trade.
For his part, Saad Baroud, Director of the Department of International Organizations and Conferences at the Foreign Ministry, stressed Syria’s commitment to international cooperation in combating organized crime and drug trafficking, emphasizing the importance of coordination with international partners and relevant UN bodies.
Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Khaled Eid, head of the Anti-Narcotics Department, presented the results of recent security operations, which included the seizure of approximately 635 million captagon pills, 11.2 tons of hashish, 71.7 kilograms of crystal meth, 156 kilograms of cocaine, and 6 kilograms of heroin, in addition to large quantities of raw materials used in drug production.
He added that authorities had also dismantled 27 international smuggling networks linked to the defunct regime while strengthening regional and international coordination with UNODC and Interpol.
The Syrian delegation reaffirmed the country’s commitment to working with international partners to combat drug trafficking and organized crime, stressing that Syria aims to play a constructive role in promoting regional security and stability.
The 69th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs opened Monday at the United Nations headquarters in Vienna with the participation of official delegations, experts and representatives from dozens of countries and international organizations.
