Bashar al-Assad's cousin detained in Syria
Kyiv • UNN
The Syrian Ministry of Interior has detained Wasim al-Assad, a cousin of the overthrown president Bashar al-Assad, who is considered one of the biggest drug traffickers and war criminals. He is accused of involvement in drug trafficking and support for the regime, which led to sanctions from the US and EU.
Syria's Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that on Saturday, June 21, the General Intelligence Service, in cooperation with special forces, arrested Wasim al-Assad, the cousin of the overthrown President Bashar al-Assad, who is considered one of the biggest drug dealers and war criminals against the Syrian people. This was reported by the Syrian state TV channel Al-Ikhbariyah Syria, writes UNN.
Details
A brief statement from the Ministry of Internal Affairs reads: "As part of a meticulously planned operation, the General Intelligence, in cooperation with the relevant units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, managed to lure out the criminal Wasim Assad, one of the most notorious drug dealers, involved in numerous crimes during the reign of the overthrown regime."
The ministry specified that "the operation was carried out by one of the special forces teams of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which successfully set up an ambush and arrested the criminal."
It is noted that this step reflects the ministry's commitment to fighting crime and establishing justice.
The ministry's statement does not indicate where exactly Wasim was arrested, but according to media reports, the ambush was set up in the Talkalakh area in the western part of Homs province, near the Syrian-Lebanese border.
Supplement
After the revolution began, Wasim formed a local armed group that fought on the side of the overthrown regime in Damascus. He became known for videos where he defended the authorities and boasted about his lavish lifestyle and expensive cars.
Since 2018, Wasim Assad has been publishing photos of joint visits with the notorious Lebanese drug dealer Nuh Zuaiter.
In 2023, the US Treasury Department sanctioned Wasim, the cousin of the overthrown dictator, along with Nuh Zuaiter, for supporting the regime through the production and smuggling of Captagon.
In the same year, the European Union also imposed sanctions on two cousins of Bashar Assad, including Wasim, the son of Badia Assad, on charges of Captagon smuggling.