Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
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Damascus, SANA – Interior Minister Mohammad al-Shaar on Sunday reiterated Syria’s strong commitment to combating drug trafficking despite of the crisis in the country.
During a meeting of the National Commission for Narcotics Affairs which he chairs, al-Shaar said that international reports show that the phenomenon of drug trafficking and substance abuse is growing and becoming more grave in all the world’s countries.
The Minister pointed out that Syria is a transit country in terms of drugs trafficking due to its geographical position between producing and consuming countries, noting that the circumstances created by the crisis produced circumstances more suitable for drug trafficking, pushing, and abuse.
He pointed out that several drug trafficking operations were thwarted during the past few months and networks involved in this crime were dismantled, stressing the need to seek more advanced methods for combating trafficking and provide treatment for drug addicts, which requires cooperation among the authorities, citizens, and the civil society.
Al-Shaar also asserted the importance of raising awareness about the dangers of substance abuse.
According to the Minister, the drugs seized by the Ministry during 2014 consist of 528 kg of hashish, 27.5 kg of heroin, 2,876,113 Captagon (fenethylline) pills, 1.656 kg of marijuana, 25 kg of amphetamines, 150 g of opium, 1 ton of cannabis seeds, 25 kg of acetic anhydride (which is use to synthesize heroin), and 4,066 kg of materials used in manufacturing narcotic pills, in addition to a small amount of cocaine.
Manar al-Freih / Hazem Sabbagh
