Syrian authorities have arrested a relative of former President Bashar al-Assad, Wasim Badi al-Assad, who is under US sanctions for his alleged role in drug trafficking and support for forces loyal to the ousted government, the Interior Ministry said today.
The ministry did not say when or where Wasim Badi al-Assad was arrested.
The US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Wasim Assad in March 2023.
It said at the time that Wasim Assad had publicly called for the formation of militias to support the government and was a key figure in the regional drug trafficking network.
The Syrian civil war, which began with international intervention in March 2011, has fragmented the country, devastated the economy and created fertile ground for the production of the amphetamine-like stimulant Captagon. Militias, warlords and the Assad government, in order to evade sanctions and make money for themselves, have transformed drug production from a small-scale gang-run operation into a large-scale industry with billions of dollars in revenue.
Bonus video:
