Jordan downs drone carrying drugs from Syria in 9th incident this year

Beatrice Farhat

Sep 5, 2023

A picture taken during a tour origanized by the Jordanian Army shows a drone flying over an observation post along the border with Syria, on February 17, 2022. - Drug trafficking from Syria into Jordan is becoming "organised" with smugglers stepping up operations and using sophisticated equipment including drones, Jordan's army said, warning of a shoot-to-kill policy. Since the beginning of this year, Jordan's army has killed 30 smugglers and foiled attempts to smuggle into the kingdom from Syria 16 million — A picture taken during a tour origanized by the Jordanian military shows a drone flying over an observation post along the border with Syria on Feb. 17, 2022. — KHALIL MAZRAAWI/AFP via Getty Images

BEIRUT — The Jordanian army said in a statement on Monday that it downed a drone carrying crystal meth from Syria in the latest incident of narcotics smuggling along the country’s northern border.

A military source quoted in the statement said Jordanian border guards and the government's narcotics department intercepted the drone after it entered Jordanian territory illegally.

“The Jordanian armed forces continue to deal with force and commitment with any threat on the border and any attempts to destabilize the country and terrorize its citizens,” the source said.

Monday’s incident brings the total number of drones downed over Jordanian territory to nine, according to media reports. Jordanian authorities intercepted three drones last month, according to the military.