Anti-Narcotic Department arrests 43 suspects linked to drug crimes

AMMAN — The Anti-Narcotic Department (AND) on Monday arrested 43 wanted suspects in connection with 12 illicit drug cases, including a regional gang, in various parts of the Kingdom over the past few days, according to police.

One of the main cases involved four men who allegedly had ties with international criminal gangs, according to Police Spokesperson Lt. Col. Amer Sartawi.

“We received information that the four suspects had ties with international gangs who were specialised in arms and drug smuggling operations,” Sartawi told The Jordan Times.

The police official added that the four suspects were located in a hilly deserted area in Tafileh Governorate.

“A special force raided the area and arrested the four suspects who were found to have possessed 12.5 kilogrammes of heroin and 109 pieces of weapons,” Sartawi said.

The law-enforcement agency conducted a raid in Amman where seven people were arrested in two separate incidents, according to Sartawi.

Police seized two kilogrammes of crystal meth, 3,000 illicit pills and seven patches of Hashish in their position, the police official said.

Meanwhile, AND conducted several raids in Irbid, Ajloun, Mafraq, Balqa and Northern Badia, which resulted in the arrest of 23 suspects, including two who were classified as armed and dangerous, Sartawi added.

Police seized various amounts of illicit drugs and two stolen vehicles, he 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 that some 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, the Jordan Customs Department, and other security agencies, included around 6,200 kilogrammes of hashish, 6.5 kilogrammes of heroin, 19 million Captagon pills, 141.5 kilogrammes of cocaine, 15 kilogrammes of Joker powder, and 70.5 kilogrammes of crystal meth.