Khaddour: Syria believes that the fight against drug trafficking crimes is a common international responsibility

Ambassador Hassan Khaddour, Permanent Representative of Syria to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Vienna, stressed that Syria is exerting great efforts to combat drug trafficking and smuggling through well studied adopting strategies and plans in this regard.

In a statement at a high-level meeting of the 67th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Ambassador Khodour said: “out of its national and humanitarian responsibility, and in implementation of its international obligations, Syria has supported all means of cooperation in the fight against drugs and psychotropic substances. It has ratified international drug control conventions, developed strategies for combating and engaging in such cooperation, and participated in relevant conferences and meetings.”

“For more than thirteen years, Syria had suffered from an unjust terrorist war in which all weapons, including narcotic drugs, were used by terrorist organizations as one of their tools and weapons and a major source of financing. Those groups had exploited the complex political and security conditions and the Syrian Arab Republic’s geographical location to pass their criminal activities across its borders.” He added.

Ambassador Khaddour went on to say that technical development has played a major role in the development of methods of smuggling, transporting and promoting narcotic substances and pursuing various and constantly changing methods by smugglers, including drones, to carry out their criminal schemes.

” The operational control efforts exerted in Syria are permanent and continuous and they are based on a strict legislative approach towards drug trafficking crimes, smugglers and promoters, and on a humanitarian approach towards users as patients in need of assistance and treatment,”K haddour clarified.

He explained that Syria has developed a strict policy to control the import of narcotic substances for legitimate purposes and to determine their quantities.

Khaddour also said that the control efforts by the relevant agencies in Syria led to thwarting several narcotic drug smuggling operations, controlling the networks operating in them, and confiscating large quantities of narcotic substances.

The Syrian diplomat pointed out that the exacerbation of the drug problem and the increase in the activity of drug dealers and smugglers make it imperative for all, more than ever before, to join efforts and find appropriate and effective mechanisms to enhance cooperation, saying: “Syria continues to implement its national strategy in the coming period from 2024 to 2029, and is open to cooperation in this field to achieve local, regional and international goals”. He explained that in addition to terrorism and occupation, the unilateral coercive measures imposed by some countries and the various forms of blockades constitute a major challenge that prevents it from obtaining the requirements for implementing effective anti-drug measures, or those required for addiction treatment and related health facilities. The war against terrorism in Syria has exhausted all capabilities.”

Amal Farhat