AND arrests 23 suspects, seizes large drug haul in Nationwide Crackdown

AMMAN — The Anti-Narcotics Department (AND) on Wednesday announced that police have arrested 23 wanted suspects in connection with 13 illicit drug cases in various parts of the Kingdom in the past few days, according to police.

Law enforcement officers also seized large amounts of illicit drugs and weapons with some of the suspects, according to Police Spokesperson Lt. Col. Amer Sartawi.

One of the major cases, according to Sartawi involved aborting the smuggling of 1.2 million illegal pills in furniture pieces in cooperation with Egyptian law-enforcement agencies, Sartawi told The Jordan Times.

“The Egyptian and Jordanian agencies exchanged information regarding the possible smuggling of a large quantity of illicit drugs via a goods transport truck that was entering Aqaba Port as transit,” Sartawi said.

The minute the truck entered the Kingdom, the police official added, the vehicle was seized and searched.

“Investigators found illegal pills hidden in pieces of wood and furniture,” according to Sartawi.

He added that investigations are ongoing to identify the perpetrators involved in the smuggling operation in both Jordan and Egypt.

In another high-profile case involving international gangs, two people were arrested in Northern Badia for storing eight kilogrammes in a barrel underground, Sartawi said.

“We received information that the two men had ties with smugglers who resided outside the Kingdom,” the police official said.

Also in Northern Badia, Sartawi said that two people were arrested after AND agents received a tip that they possessed illegal narcotics.

Police found 28,4000 illegal pills in their possession, he said.

Meanwhile, two suspects were arrested in Amman following a raid that resulted in seizing a large amount of Hashish, according to Sartawi.

All suspects were referred to the State Security Court prosecution office for further questioning and indictment, according to a statement by the Public Security Directorate.

Last year, AND officials said around 23,000 drug-related cases were recorded in Jordan in 2023, involving more than 35,000 individuals, with about 13,000 suspects apprehended for alleged drug trafficking or distribution.