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On November 4, 2024, the Istanbul-based Syria.tv network, which supports the Syrian opposition, reported that Lebanese drug lords linked to Hizbullah and listed on U.S. Treasury's OFAC's Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list, have moved to resume operations in Syria following the breakout of hostilities between Israel and Lebanese Hizbullah in southern Lebanon.
U.S. Sanctioned Hizbullah-Linked Cannabis Baron Moved Operation From Beqaa To Latakia In Syria
Quoting exclusive sources, the Syrian-opposition outlet reported that drug dealers working in the Beqaa region of Lebanon, had moved to Damascus and Latakia in coordination with Wassim Al-Assad, a cousin of Syria's President Bashar Al-Assad.
According to the opposition outlet, the Syrian Army's Fourth Division, a branch commanded by Bashar Al-Assad's brother Maher known for orchestrating the production and smuggling of narcotics, working with Lebanese drug dealer Noah Zaitar and an affiliated group working in the cultivation of cannabis (hashish) and engaged in the drug trade, entered Syria illegally through the Homs crossings. The groups entered Syria "on a military line" used for smuggling and transporting individuals and goods, under the protection and supervision of the Fourth Division, Syria.tv reported.
The outlet stated that Zaitar's group was stationed in the village of Al-Shir in the Latakia countryside; from there, it moved to other areas within Latakia, where factories producing Captagon pills continue to operate. Captagon is the brand name of a psychoactive medicine, mainly prescribed to treat attention deficit disorder, narcolepsy, and as a central nervous system stimulant.
"These movements of drug dealers in Lebanon came after the start of war, and the Israeli bombing of various areas of Lebanon, especially the southern suburbs of Beirut and the Beqaa region, where Zaitar and his group used to operate," said the report.
In March 2023, Wassim Al-Assad and Noah Zaitar were added to the Specially Designated Nationals list maintained by the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC): "Zaitar is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Hizbullah."
In Dire Need Of Funds: Hizbullah Moved Large Quantities Of Drugs Into Syria, Hiked Prices
In a related context, the Syrian opposition news portal, Eye of Euphrates, published a report on October 30, 2024, saying that Lebanese Hizbullah exploited the state of chaos between Syria and Lebanon, concurrently with the Israeli military campaign against Hizbullah, to increase its smuggling operations into Syria.
Citing exclusive sources, Eye of Euphrates reported that Hizbullah's need for money was reflected in a 100 percent increase in drug prices, noting that the large shipments of drugs were smuggled via the Jroud Arsal in Lebanon towards Western Al-Qalamoun in Syria. The drugs are then transported, under the protection of the Fourth Division, to the city of Al-Dumayr in the Damascus countryside, 30 miles northeast of Damascus.
The sources further asserted that large quantities of drugs were moved from Al-Dumayr to the Al-Hurrah area in the Syrian desert and stored in underground warehouses that were set up in advance.
