°®Âþµº

Jordan army 'injures drug smugglers' in gunfight on Syria border

Jordanian security forces engaged in a 'direct shooting clash' with smugglers attempting to cross into Jordan through its border with Syria, injuring 'a number' of smugglers.
1 min read
20 August, 2023
Jordan's army said it injured smugglers in a 'direct shooting clash' [Khalil Mazraawi/AFP via Getty]

Jordan's army said it injured smugglers trying to smuggle drugs over the border fromÌýSyriaÌýon Saturday.

Jordanian security forces engaged in a "direct shooting clash" with smugglers attempting to cross into Jordan through its border with Syria, injuring "a number" of smugglers,Ìýthe army said in a .

The army said its response had prevented an attempt to smuggle in "large quantities of narcotics coming from Syrian territory".

Jordan says often that it has had to stop attempts to smuggle in drugs and weaponryÌýby land and airÌýacross the Syrian border. The smuggling of the amphetamine-like drug captagon across the border has been of particular nuisance to Jordan.

Analysis
Live Story

Ìý

The Syrian regime has been accused of using the manufacture and trafficking ofÌýcaptagon as a bargaining chip to reintegrate itself into the Arab world, amid heavy US sanctions.

Senior Syrian and Jordanian officials met last month to discuss security at their shared border, including the smuggling of captagon.

Syrian and Jordanian intelligence officials have also met to discuss how to curb drug smuggling across the border.

Ìý