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Syrian Interior Ministry Destroys Drugs Seized at Fourth Division Headquarters
The Ministry of Interior in the Syrian interim government announced today, Sunday, that it has destroyed large quantities of narcotics that were previously seized at the headquarters of the Fourth Division affiliated with the former Syrian regime.
As part of its ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking and enhance security and stability in the country, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported that this action was the result of careful monitoring by the Drug Enforcement Administration of the ministry. The department supervised the destruction of the narcotics found inside the Fourth Division's headquarters, which was led by Maher Al-Assad, the brother of former Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad.
In a related context, security forces in Latakia province revealed on Saturday a warehouse used to package Captagon pills inside children's toys, as part of their ongoing operations against drug networks linked to the former regime. SANA detailed that the General Security Department in Latakia seized a large warehouse containing equipment for packing Captagon pills within children's toys and household furniture.
An official stated that the ownership of the warehouse belongs to the "Fourth Division" and Maher Al-Assad, indicating that the pills were intended for export via the port to Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries.
On another note, the General Security Department had previously announced the discovery of a large drug manufacturing facility inside a villa owned by Maher Al-Assad in the al-Dimas area west of Damascus. Anadolu Agency reported that the ownership of the building was confirmed, with video footage showing dozens of barrels in the villa’s rooms containing raw materials and drug manufacturing equipment.
Since the fall of the previous regime on December 8, the General Security and Military Operations Divisions have identified several locations across the country used for drug production and preparation for export.
The former regime is accused by the United States and other countries of producing and promoting amphetamine-like stimulants known as Captagon, which have become entrenched in several areas of the Middle East. Experts estimate that the annual trade in Captagon amounts to billions of dollars, indicating a connection between this illicit trade and Maher Al-Assad and the "Fourth Division" he led.
