LONDON — August 2025
Syrian authorities announced the arrest of Amer Jdei Al-Sheikh, a notorious drug kingpin wanted by several countries for his role in large-scale narcotics trafficking across Syria and the broader Middle East.
Al-Sheikh was captured inside Turkish territory during a coordinated joint operation between Syria’s Anti-Narcotics Directorate and Turkish law enforcement.
“The arrested individual was traveling using forged IDs and passports to evade capture,” said Brig. Gen. Khaled Eid, head of Syria’s Anti-Narcotics Directorate. “He was among the most dangerous individuals involved in the drug trade in the region.”
🚨 Wanted Across Borders: A Key Figure in Middle East Drug Trade
Al-Sheikh was reportedly wanted by Turkey and several other countries for a litany of offenses, including:
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Drug manufacturing
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International smuggling operations
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Ties to organized crime networks
According to authorities, he held close relationships with international narcotics rings and operated at the highest levels of the regional drug trade, particularly in the trafficking of captagon — an illicit amphetamine popular in parts of the Middle East.
🔗 Links to Syrian Regime and the Captagon Trade
Brig. Gen. Eid also claimed that Al-Sheikh had direct ties to Maher Assad, the brother of former Syrian president Bashar Assad. Maher Assad has long been accused of overseeing state-linked captagon production and trafficking networks, making the arrest politically and regionally significant.
The Syrian regime has faced growing international scrutiny for its alleged role in the proliferation of captagon, with numerous reports tying its military and intelligence infrastructure to narcotics facilities.
📌 Key Facts About the Arrest:
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Name: Amer Jdei Al-Sheikh
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Crimes: Narcotics trafficking, use of forged IDs/passports
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Location of arrest: Inside Turkish territory
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Operation led by: Syria’s Anti-Narcotics Directorate in cooperation with Turkish authorities
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Alleged connections: International smuggling rings, Maher Assad, captagon industry
🌐 Regional and Global Implications
Al-Sheikh’s arrest comes amid growing international pressure to dismantle Syria’s narcotics networks, which are seen as a major driver of instability, addiction, and criminal enterprise in the region. His capture marks a rare moment of cooperation between Syrian and Turkish security agencies, despite ongoing political tensions between the two nations.
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