BEIRUT, Aug 13 (Reuters) – The Jordanian army shot down a drone carrying methamphetamine flying into Jordanian territory from neighboring Syria on Sunday, the state news agency Petra reported.
War-torn Syria has become a hub for a multibillion-dollar drug trade, with Jordan a main transit route to oil-rich Gulf states for a Syrian-made amphetamine known as a captagon, say Western and Washington counternarcotics officials.
Citing a source within the Jordanian armed forces, the state agency said in a statement that the drone was “taken over and shot down.”
The Jordanian military has previously shot down drones from Syria carrying narcotics or weapons, but has rarely identified the seized drugs as methamphetamine.
Jordanian and Syrian military and security officials have met to discuss ways to curb the growing problem of smuggling. Despite promises from Damascus, Jordan says it has seen no real attempt to stop illicit trade.
There was no immediate comment from Syrian authorities. In an interview last week, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad denied Syria’s role in the drug trade, saying that cracking down on drug smuggling was a common interest Syria shares with Arab countries.
Reporting by Maya Gebeily Editing by Ros Russell
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