Syria foils attempt to smuggle more than 100,000 Captagon pills to Saudi Arabia

Syria’s Drug Enforcement Department has foiled an attempt to smuggle more than 100,000 Captagon pills to Saudi Arabia, seizing the shipment hidden inside the spare tire of a refrigerated truck at the Nasib border crossing, the department said Sunday.

The operation was carried out with the participation of K9 units. Authorities seized the pills and arrested a suspect, who was referred to the competent authorities for further legal proceedings, the department said.

The latest seizure comes amid stepped-up efforts by Syrian authorities to combat drug smuggling and tighten controls at border crossings.

Recent drug seizures

On Oct. 9, the General Authority for Borders and Customs reported that Syrian authorities had seized approximately 524,000 Captagon pills in two smuggling attempts foiled within 48 hours at the Jdaidet Yabous border crossing with Lebanon.

The seizures included around 129,000 pills intercepted in the latest operation and 395,000 confiscated in an earlier operation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Department in coordination with the authority. The pills in the earlier shipment were concealed using sophisticated methods, and suspects were arrested.

Authorities also seized 225,000 Captagon pills on Sept. 30 and another 210,000 pills along with 62 kilograms of hashish on Oct. 6 in separate operations linked to attempts to smuggle narcotics from Lebanon.

R.H/Abd