Jordan foils attempt to smuggle 2 million narcotic pills at Jaber border crossing

Jordanian authorities have thwarted an attempt to smuggle two million narcotic pills through the Jaber border crossing with Syria, after seizing a shipment concealed inside a cargo vehicle. The operation comes just days after the crossing was reopened, following its closure due to Jordanian airstrikes targeting sites in southern Syria.

In a statement on Sunday, the spokesperson for Jordan's Public Security Directorate said that the Anti-Narcotics Department at Jaber, in coordination with customs and other security agencies, managed to foil the smuggling attempt and seize the shipment before it entered Jordanian territory.

He explained that the seizure followed information received about the cargo vehicle, which was thoroughly inspected upon arrival at the crossing. Authorities discovered two million narcotic pills hidden in secret compartments built into the vehicle's body.

He added that the shipment was intended to be re-smuggled to a neighboring country, noting that the relevant authorities have launched an investigation to uncover further details of the case.

Security tensions on the Jordan-Syria border

The operation comes amid ongoing security developments along the Jordanian-Syrian border, with continued attempts to smuggle drugs and infiltrate the border area, coinciding with heightened tensions in recent days.

On October 27, Syrian authorities closed the Nasib border crossing, which faces Jordan's Jaber crossing, suspending the movement of travelers and trucks in both directions. The closure followed Jordanian airstrikes targeting sites in Daraa and Sweida provinces in southern Syria, which killed seven people. Damascus condemned the strikes as a violation of its sovereignty.

The crossing was later reopened after a phone call between Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and his Syrian counterpart, Asaad Al-Shibani, during which both sides emphasized the need to contain the fallout from recent developments and preserve bilateral relations.

In another security incident, the Jordanian army announced on Saturday that it had foiled an attempt by an armed group of 14 people to infiltrate from Syria into Jordan, following a clash with border guards.

Jaber crossing: a vital trade artery

The Jaber crossing, opposite Syria's Nasib crossing, is the main land gateway for travelers and trade between the two countries. It also serves as a key route for trucks and goods moving to and from Syria via the international highway connecting Syria, Jordan, and Gulf states.

The crossing's importance for movement and commerce is highlighted by figures from Syria's official news agency SANA, which reported that around 2.2 million travelers passed through the Nasib crossing in the first half of 2023.