Anti-drug campaigns lead to arrest of 23 suspects

AMMAN — The Anti-Narcotic Department (AND) on Monday arrested 23 wanted suspects in connection with 11 illicit drug cases, including a regional gang, in various parts of the Kingdom in the past few days, according to police.

The law-enforcement agency said they dealt with four cases involving four men who allegedly had ties with international criminal gangs, according to Police Spokesperson Lt. Col. Amer Sartawi.

The police arrested three suspects in Amman and one in Aqaba, Sartawi told The Jordan Times.

The arrests resulted in seizing two kilogrammes of cocaine and 120 blocks of hashish allegedly found with the suspect, Sartawi added.

All suspects were referred to the State Security Court prosecution office for further questioning and indictment, according to a statement by the Public Security Directorate.

Earlier in the year, AND officials said around 23,000 drug-related cases were recorded in Jordan in 2023, involving more than 35,000 individuals, with about 13,000 suspects apprehended for alleged drug trafficking or distribution.

Officials said that the seized quantities of drugs in 2023 in cooperation with the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army, customs, and other security agencies were around 6,200 kilogrammes of hashish, 6.5 kilogrammes of heroin, around 19 million Captagon pills, 141.5 kilogrammes of cocaine, 15 kilogrammes of Joker powder, and about 70.5 kilogrammes of crystal meth.