Jordanian army says it killed 5 drug smugglers in clashes on the Syrian border
ABC News
The Jordanian army says it has killed five drug and weapon smugglers and arrested 15 in a day of clashes with armed groups of smugglers attempting to cross into Jordan from Syria
AMMAN -- The Jordanian army said Saturday that it killed five drug and weapon smugglers and arrested 15 in a day of clashes with armed groups of smugglers attempting to cross into Jordan from Syria.
The army statement said the clashes broke out before dawn between Jordanian border guards and armed organizations "that practice smuggling and rely on systematic infiltration operations.” It said the smuggling operations have recently increased in frequency.
The state-run Jordan News Agency reported that in recent days smugglers have “aimed to cross the Kingdom’s border by force by targeting border guards.”
Jordanian security forces seized Captagon amphetamine pills, hashish and weapons, the statement said.
Smugglers have used Jordan as a corridor in recent years to smuggle the highly addictive Captagon out of Syria, mainly to oil-rich Arab Gulf states. The drug is used recreationally and by people with physically demanding jobs to keep them alert.
