Syrian customs seize hashish shipment smuggled from Lebanon through Joussieh crossing

The Syrian General Authority for Land and Maritime Ports announced on Thursday that customs officers at the Jousieh border crossing in the Homs countryside seized "a shipment of hashish in the possession of a traveler arriving from Lebanon."

According to the statement, “The authorities confiscated the drugs, filed the official seizure report, and referred the case to the Anti-Narcotics Department to continue the investigation and take the necessary legal measures against the smuggler.”

The General Authority for Land and Sea Borders added that its “security personnel are working around the clock to combat smuggling operations, particularly the trafficking of narcotics targeting Syrian society. This is being achieved through enhanced inspections, the activation of detection and search units, and ongoing coordination with the Anti-Narcotics Department and relevant authorities to protect the borders and safeguard the security of the country and its citizens.”

In June, Syrian security forces announced that they had seized two large shipments of drugs coming from Lebanon over the course of two days. The operations were carried out in the town of al-Nabek, north of Damascus, about 20 kilometers from the Lebanese border. The town is located near an informal crossing linking Syria to the Lebanese village of Ersal in eastern Bekaa.