Syria’s Interior Ministry said on Wednesday, October 22, that its Anti-Narcotics Directorate, in coordination with Iraq’s General Directorate for Narcotics Control, seized 108 kilograms of hashish and 1.27 million Captagon pills.

The ministry added that several suspects “wanted internationally” within cross-border smuggling networks were arrested through joint field and intelligence coordination between the two sides.

In a parallel statement the same day, Iraq’s Interior Ministry confirmed that one of its directorates’ units entered Syrian territory and, through joint coordination, seized 320 kilograms of narcotics.

According to both ministries, the operation extends ongoing international cooperation led by Syria’s Anti-Narcotics Directorate with “brotherly countries,” within continued security and intelligence coordination to combat drug trafficking.

They stressed that protecting society from narcotics is a “national and moral responsibility,” pledging to keep working “to dry up the sources of poison” targeting youth and national security, and to bolster international cooperation that safeguards the security of Syria and Iraq.

Earlier joint actions

• Syrian–Jordanian cooperation (October 5): The Syrian and Jordanian anti-narcotics directorates announced they had foiled seven drug-smuggling attempts across their shared border, seizing about one million pills intended for smuggling and distribution, and arresting several suspects. The two sides said the effort included intelligence-sharing and coordinated field operations that helped dismantle organized criminal networks threatening the security of both countries and the region.

• Coordination with Turkey (September 2): Syria’s Anti-Narcotics Directorate and Turkish intelligence carried out a joint operation in the Yafour area of Rif Dimashq (southern Syria), seizing 500 kilograms of precursor materials used to manufacture narcotics and a large quantity of Captagon. The Interior Ministry said the drugs were hidden inside packaged food in plastic containers and in large vessels buried underground. All items were confiscated, and all suspects were detained and referred to the competent authorities. The ministry noted that anti-narcotics units continue to track and dismantle smuggling and distribution networks.

A new phase in the war on Syria’s “Captagon state”