Jordan says crackdown on drug smugglers is bringing results
By OMAR AKOUR
Associated Press
AL-WASHASH, Jordan (AP) — The Jordanian military says a crackdown on drug smugglers along the Syrian border is delivering results. Col. Mustafa al-Hiyari says the military was forced into action in response to increased smuggling activity. In January, an army officer was killed in a shootout with smugglers. He says the military has killed 30 smugglers, including 27 people in a single day. Al-Hiyari says the army also has seized large quantities of hashish and narcotics. After over 10 years of civil war, Syria has developed a thriving illegal drug industry that makes and sells drugs across the region.
