Türkiye and Syria carried out a joint anti-narcotics operation, seizing 236 kilograms of marijuana hidden in a container aboard a cargo ship bound for Syria’s Latakia port, security sources said Saturday.
The operation was coordinated by Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT), the Trade Ministry’s Customs Enforcement units and Syria’s Interior Ministry narcotics teams, marking a notable instance of security cooperation between the two countries.
According to Turkish security sources, MIT tracked a drug shipment departing Southeast Asia and moving through Egypt’s Alexandria and Lebanon’s Beirut before heading to Latakia. The intelligence was shared with Syrian authorities, enabling a coordinated interception.
Syrian anti-narcotics units seized the drugs on April 16 during an inspection of the vessel’s cargo, uncovering the concealed shipment. Authorities estimated the market value of the narcotics at approximately TL 300 million ($6.6 million).
Türkiye has been a strong backer of the new administration in Damascus since the ouster of Bashar Assad by anti-regime forces in December 2024. The neighbors have struck a series of cooperation deals on intelligence sharing and security coordination to combat terrorist groups like the PKK/YPG and smuggling networks. Ankara has also pledged to help Syria rebuild areas affected by 13 years of civil war.
