Damascus, Syria – In a security operation reflecting remarkable intelligence cooperation, Syrian and Iraqi authorities announced on Sunday, June 14, 2026, the dismantling of an organized international drug trafficking network in what was described as a “high-quality” operation.
This announcement followed direct and intensive coordination between the Syrian Anti-Narcotics Directorate and the Iraqi General Directorate of Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances. The operations targeted strategic areas deep within Syria, specifically in the Homs and Deir ez-Zor governorates.
A devastating blow to international supply lines
The Syrian Interior Ministry stated in an official statement that simultaneous operations targeted the network’s strongholds, resulting in the arrest of nine major drug traffickers.
Official sources confirmed that the operation resulted in the seizure of massive quantities of narcotics. These included 800,000 Captagon pills and 200 kilograms of various other drugs. Among these seizures were 60 kilograms of hashish, intended for local distribution or smuggling across the shared border.
This security operation comes as a continuation of a series of targeted operations carried out by Syrian security forces last month in the Damascus countryside. These operations successfully dismantled international networks and uncovered clandestine manufacturing facilities, as part of a comprehensive national strategy to pursue organized crime networks and cut off their funding sources.
800,000 Captagon pills seized in Syria and Iraq: Details of the joint security operation
High-level Iraqi-Syrian intelligence cooperation
For its part, the General Directorate of Narcotics Affairs in Iraq confirmed that the operation was based on accurate intelligence information and field monitoring that lasted for several days.
The Iraqi statement explained that its units worked in direct coordination with their counterparts in Damascus to carry out the mission in the Homs and Deir ez-Zor governorates. The statement also affirmed that these joint efforts aim to “dismantle international drug networks and bring down the most dangerous figures in their trade” before their shipments reach the Iraqi interior.
Observers believe this level of cooperation reflects both countries’ conviction of the need to unify security efforts to confront the “drug scourge” that threatens the social and economic fabric of the region.
Both sides emphasized that the current coordination is not merely a temporary measure, but a long-term commitment to protecting borders and preventing them from becoming conduits for the trade in death.
Ongoing efforts to combat the legacy of smuggling
Reports from the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) indicate that authorities are intensifying their operations to seize, confiscate, and destroy large quantities of prohibited materials. These materials were previously being produced, manufactured, and distributed.
These steps are part of a comprehensive “clean-up” operation aimed at dismantling the infrastructure established by smuggling networks during the years of war. These networks relied on flooding local markets and reaching neighboring countries.
Syrian authorities affirm that the pursuit of these networks will continue relentlessly, not only within the framework of domestic law, but also through open regional cooperation that guarantees border security and societal stability.
This operation puts an end to the activities of one of the most organized networks. It sends a strong message to drug traffickers that cross-border coordination has become more effective, and that security forces now possess the capability to detect and dismantle even the most sophisticated international smuggling schemes.
