Syria’s General Intelligence Directorate, in coordination with the Ministry of Interior, has arrested Wassim al-Assad, a cousin of the deposed Syrian regime leader, in a tightly coordinated security operation carried out by a special task force unit.
اضافة اعلان
The security force successfully lured Wassim into a well-planned ambush, leading to his arrest without resistance.
Wassim al-Assad is considered one of the most prominent figures involved in drug trafficking and has been linked to multiple criminal activities during the former regime’s rule, according to Syria TV.
The operation comes as part of ongoing efforts by Syrian authorities to pursue fugitives and enhance stability, in the context of a continuing campaign against organized crime and illicit drug trafficking, according to a statement by the Ministry of Interior.
The U.S. Treasury Department had previously listed Wassim al-Assad—alongside Nouh Zeiter—on its sanctions list in late March of last year, citing their support for the deposed regime through the production and smuggling of Captagon.
About a month later, the European Union also added Wassim al-Assad’s name, along with two other Assad family members, to its sanctions list for the same reason.
