The Syrian Interior Ministry announced the dismantling of what it described as international drug smuggling networks through joint security operations with Iraq, seizing about 1 million Captagon pills in one of the most significant publicly announced operations in recent months.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, April 8, the ministry said the Anti-Narcotics Directorate carried out operations in cooperation with Iraq’s General Directorate for Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. It said the effort included three “high-quality” security operations targeting networks specializing in trafficking and smuggling narcotics across the border, without specifying the exact locations.
According to the statement, security forces seized “large” quantities of narcotic pills, estimated at 1 million Captagon tablets, and arrested four people, it said were key members of these networks, without disclosing their full identities.
For his part, Ziad al-Qaisi, director of relations and media at Iraq’s Directorate of Narcotics Affairs at the Interior Ministry, announced the dismantling of an international network and the arrest of its members during joint operations with the Syrian side.
Al-Qaisi said at a press conference that the operations were based on shared intelligence between the two sides and resulted in the seizure of 1 million Captagon pills. He added that the suspects had been referred to the judiciary to complete legal proceedings against them.
He added that these operations come as part of “continuous and fruitful cooperation” between the security services in both countries to pursue cross-border drug smuggling networks and curb the spread of narcotics in the region.
At the time of writing, no information was available from the Syrian Interior Ministry about the details or circumstances of these operations.
Previous Syrian-Iraqi Cooperation
These operations come in the context of continuing security cooperation between Damascus and Baghdad on combating drugs. On October 22, 2025, the Syrian Interior Ministry announced the seizure of 108 kilograms of hashish and 1.27 million Captagon pills in coordination with the Iraqi side.
According to the ministry’s statement at the time, the authorities arrested several internationally wanted suspects within cross-border smuggling networks through joint field and intelligence coordination.
In contrast, the Iraqi Interior Ministry said a force from the General Directorate for Narcotics Control carried out a “high-quality” operation in coordination with the Syrian side, noting that one of its units entered Syrian territory and seized about 320 kilograms of narcotic substances.
Both ministries said at the time that these operations were part of joint efforts to pursue smuggling networks and limit the spread of drugs in the region, amid continued security and intelligence coordination between the two countries.
Syrian-Jordanian Cooperation
The anti-narcotics directorates in Syria and Jordan also announced on October 5, 2025, that they had foiled seven attempts to smuggle narcotic substances across the two countries’ shared border, as part of ongoing security cooperation to confront smuggling networks.
The Syrian Interior Ministry said the joint security operations resulted in the seizure of about 1 million narcotic pills that had been prepared for smuggling and distribution, in addition to the arrest of several people involved in those cases.
The statement added that cooperation between the anti-narcotics directorates in Damascus and Amman included intelligence sharing and coordination of field efforts, leading to the dismantling of organized criminal networks active in drug smuggling that pose a direct threat to the security of both countries and the region.
Both sides said these operations represent a model of bilateral security cooperation in confronting the phenomenon of drug smuggling, noting that “combating this scourge is not only a security task, but a humanitarian and moral responsibility that requires broad regional and international cooperation.”
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