Jordanian Army Shoots Down Narcotics-Carrying Drone from Syria

The Jordanian army announced today, Tuesday, that it had shot down a drone carrying narcotic substances coming from the Syrian territories, and the plane was heading to a border area in the north of the kingdom.

A statement by the army, through an official military source, said that the Border Guard forces, in coordination with the military security services and the Anti-Narcotics Department, detected an attempt to illegally cross the border from Syrian territory to Jordanian territory.

He added that after the plane was shot down inside Jordanian territory, it was found that it was carrying 500 grams of crystal (narcotic), and the seized items were transferred to the competent authorities.

He pointed out that the Jordanian Armed Forces continue to deal with all strength and firmness with any threat on the border fronts and any endeavors intended to undermine and destabilize the security of the homeland and terrorize its citizens.

Over the past years, Jordan has witnessed hundreds of infiltration and smuggling attempts, especially from Syria (north) and Iraq (east), as a result of the deteriorating security situation in the two countries.

Amman confirms that 85% of the drugs seized are intended for smuggling outside the Kingdom.

Jordan – which hosts about 1.6 million Syrian refugees since the outbreak of the crisis in their country in March 2011 – has tightened measures at its border with Syria, which extends for about 375 kilometers, over the past few years, and has arrested and imprisoned dozens of fighters for trying to infiltrate Syrian territory to fight there.