DAMASCUS, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Syrian authorities arrested two suspected drug traffickers and seized 600,000 Captagon pills during a security operation in the central province of Homs and the northwestern province of Idlib, the interior authorities said Tuesday.
In a statement, the interior authorities said anti-narcotics forces detained two men believed to be among the country's most dangerous drug dealers and distributors during a coordinated operation following extensive surveillance and intelligence-gathering.
Security forces also confiscated light and medium weapons, RPG launcher rounds, ammunition and various types of grenades, the statement said.
Investigations were underway to determine the scope of the suspects' network and identify possible accomplices and related criminal activities, it added.
Captagon, an amphetamine-type stimulant, has become one of the most widely trafficked narcotics in the Middle East. Syrian authorities have stepped up anti-drug operations in recent months as the transitional government seeks to combat smuggling networks operating across the country. ■
