Jordan arrested almost 39,000 for drug crimes last year

The Jordanian authorities arrested at least 38,000 people in more than 25,000 drug-related cases in 2024, an official in Amman announced on Monday. Large quantities of drugs were seized, including 27 million Captagon pills.

The Hashemite Kingdom often announces its successes against drug-smugglers, especially from Syria, with which it shares a land border extending for 375 kilometres.

“There were 25,260 drug-related cases handled in 2024, involving 38,782 individuals,” the Director of the Anti-Narcotics Department, Brigadier General Hassan Al-Qudah, told Public Security Radio. “These cases included drug abuse, promotion and trafficking offences.”

Al-Qudah revealed that the authorities “seized over 27.5 million Captagon pills, 3,000 kilograms of hashish, 262 kilograms of marijuana, 62 kilograms of crystal meth, 33 kilograms of synthetic hashish, and 11.5 kilograms of Joker powder. Additionally, 13.5 kilograms of heroin and nearly 3 kilograms of cocaine were confiscated.”

He also pointed out that, during the past year, the administration focused on “combating trade and promotion operations to dry up drug sources, and was able, in coordination with the armed forces and security services, and in cooperation with regional and international partners, to bring down international smuggling networks.” It also arrested smugglers involved in international gangs, and a large number of dealers and promoters.

He confirmed that eight members of his administration were killed during operations in 2024.

The Jordanian army regularly announces its prevention of drug smuggling operations, especially of Captagon pills, which were produced on a large scale during the rule of ousted Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad after the outbreak of the conflict in his country in 2011.

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