Drug traffickers resorting to ‘manufacturing’ as their old methods controlled — AND

AMMAN — Having their old methods "ruined" by concerned agencies, illicit drug traffickers would resort to new ways, including manufacturing narcotics inside the country, Anti-Narcotics Department (AND) director said Wednesday.

“Almost all security agencies in Jordan are cooperating with us to combat drug trafficking and we're almost certain that illegal narcotics traffickers will resort to new methods including manufacturing drugs inside the country,” AND Director Brig. Gen. Anwar Tarawneh said.

The remarks came during a meeting organised by Basil Tarawneh, the government's coordinator for human rights, which included members of the committee following up on human rights recommendations and members of the press.

Anwar Tarawneh referred to a recent incident, a first of its kind in the Kingdom’s history, during which a laboratory was raided earlier this month, revealing “alleged manufacturing of Captagon pills". 

AND said that the seized chemicals in the raid, which led to the arrest of eight suspects, were sufficient to produce over 100 million narcotic pills.

Anwar Tarawneh added that new smuggling methods include using the sea instead of the traditional channels.

The AND official stressed that 95 per cent of the seized substances “are destined to neighbouring countries”. 

Anwar Tarawneh also refuted claims that “individuals caught by AND agents during raids are subjected to abuse or torture”. 

“Most of the time, it is the drug dealers who are trying to publicise such false and unfounded news to attack us because we ruined their plans,” the AND director explained.

“It is part of our cooperation with all organisations to ensure that all citizens enjoy full rights and live in a safe environment,” Basil Tarawneh told the gathering, who later visited the AND museum and storage where all illegal narcotics are stored. 

AND Major Anas Tantawi outlined the methods used by traffickers and manufacturers to smuggle drugs. 

“We found illegal narcotics hidden in fake olives, charcoal, fake white cheese, laundry tiles, tyres, arts, books and the list is long,” he said, noting that the AND is constantly developing its methods to fight illegal smuggling into the country. 

“They are working on new and creative ways to smuggle illegal narcotics and we are also working to constantly improve our methods to make sure that we continue to be a regional hub standing in the face of illegal drug trafficking,” Tantawi concluded.