U.S. Department
of StateU.S. Department
of State
SYRIA
I. Summary
For several years Syria has been an important transit country
for drugs flowing in and out of Lebanon, and in many cases, on to
Europe and the US. The increase in seizures in 1996 over 1995
(especially of hashish) points to improved vigilance by Syrian
authorities, but also could imply that the total flow of drugs
across Syria is growing. Additionally, the presence of
approximately 25,000 Syrian troops in the Lebanese Bekaa Valley
makes Syrian Government (SARG) cooperation with Lebanese
officials a substantial element in the fight against drug
production and trafficking there. There were continuing
allegations in 1996 of corruption among Syrian military officials
stationed in Lebanon, but as in 1995, the SARG initiated no
corruption investigations and brought no charges against any
Syrian security or military personnel during the year. Syria is a
party to the 1988 UN Convention. Syria does not have a bilateral
narcotics agreement with the US.
II. Status of Country
Syria is a major transit country for hashish leaving Lebanon
and for opium and morphine entering Lebanon from Iran,
Afghanistan and Turkey; in many cases, shipments proceed onward
to Europe and the US. Acetic anhydride, a precursor chemical used
in the processing of heroin, also reportedly entered Lebanon from
Syria in 1996.
There were continuing reports during the year that members of
the Syrian military stationed in Lebanon profited from drug
trafficking there.
III. Country Actions Against Drugs in 1996
Policy Initiatives. In the second half of the
year, the Syrian National Police was restructured by making the
Counter-Narcotics Division a separate agency. While the results
of this restructuring are still preliminary, it appears that the
Counter-Narcotics Division now has more freedom in planning its
operations and that its director has better access to the Syrian
Minister of the Interior than he had previously. Additionally,
the Counter-Narcotics Division's budget should increase as a
result of the restructuring.
In an effort to assist Lebanese authorities with their crop
substitution program, the Syrian Government donated over one
million fruit trees to Lebanon. Syria continued to apply its
tough anti-trafficking law (anti-drug law #2 of 1993). This
resulted in several convictions, with sentences that ranged from
two to twenty years in prison. Many cases are pending.
Accomplishments. Under Syrian law, there are
provisions for seizure of assets financed by profits from the
drug trade. Syrian authorities reported one case involving asset
seizure in which a house and a farm of approximately two and
one-half acres were confiscated.
Law Enforcement Efforts. Movement of
precursor chemicals through Syria is currently on a small scale,
and Syrian authorities have yet to seize any precursor chemicals
in transit. The Syrian Government is working on a new plan for
control of these chemicals and hopes to codify this plan in 1997.
Syrian authorities in 1996 seized a far greater amount of
drugs transiting Syria than in 1995. In just two seizures, over
1.7 mt of hashish were seized, with a total of 2.18 mt seized for
the year; this compared to a total of 1.663 mt seized in 1995. In
addition, authorities confiscated more than 1.5 million pills and
tablets during the year, up from 66,000 in 1995.
The restructuring of the Syrian National Police and the
Counter-Narcotics Division's increased budget could allow the
Syrian Government to block the transit of drugs through Syria in
1997 more effectively.
Syria historically cooperates closely with Lebanese
authorities in the areas of transit and cultivation/production.
In 1996, Syria increased its cooperative efforts with Jordan,
resulting in three controlled deliveries cases which led to
arrests.
Corruption. There were numerous reports of
corruption among Syrian military officials in Lebanon involving
individuals permitting the free transit of goods in return for
bribes. There were no prosecutions of Syrian military officials
for corruption during the year.
Syria has an Investigations Administration (Internal Affairs
Division) responsible for weeding out corrupt officers in the
Counternarcotics Division as well as in the larger National
Police force. The Investigations Administration is independent of
both the Counternarcotics Division and the National Police, and
reports directly to the Minister of the Interior. According to
Syrian authorities, there were no arrests or prosecutions of
officers in the Counternarcotics Division for corruption in 1996.
Agreements and Treaties. Syria is a party to
the 1988 UN Convention and the 1961 UN Single Convention on
Narcotic Drugs and its 1972 Protocol, as well as the 1971
Convention on Psychotropic Substances. Syria maintains
antinarcotics trafficking agreements with Cyprus, Iran, Jordan,
Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, Armenia (draft agreement)
and Austria (draft agreement). In 1996, Syria signed a new
agreement with Pakistan which calls for increased information
sharing in the counternarcotics field. Syria and the US do not
have a narcotics agreement, nor is there an extradition treaty
between the two countries. Syria is a member of Interpol.
Cultivation/Production. Authorities do not
permit the cultivation and/or production of narcotics within
Syria.
Drug Flow/Transit. The flow of narcotics transiting Syria to and from Lebanon appears to have increased during the year. At the same time, Syrian authorities have shown increased diligence toward drug interdiction, which has resulted in larger seizures in 1996 than in 1995.
Domestic Programs/Demand Reduction. Due to
the social stigma attached to drug use and Syria's strict
anti-trafficking law, the incidence of drug abuse in Syria is
low. The Syrian Government uses the media to educate the public
on the dangers of drug use. This media campaign is highlighted
each year by observance of the June 26 International
Antinarcotics Day.
IV. US Policy Initiatives and Programs
Policy Initiatives. The USG continually
emphasizes to the Syrian Government the need to be diligent in
preventing narcotics and precursor chemicals from transiting
Syrian territory, especially to and from Lebanon; the need to
work with the Lebanese Government in dismantling drug
laboratories in Lebanon; and the necessity of terminating any
involvement, active or passive, of individual Syrian officials in
the drug trade.
Bilateral Cooperation. The US and Syria do
not have a bilateral cooperation agreement. However, US Embassy
officials in Damascus and DEA officials based in Nicosia maintain
frequent contact with Syrian authorities in the Counter-Narcotics
Division. In addition, high-ranking US officials periodically
share their views and recommendations with the Syrian Ministers
of Foreign Affairs and Interior.
The Road Ahead The USG will continue to press Syrian officials to work with Lebanese officials to find and close drug processing laboratories in the areas of Lebanon where Syrian forces are present, and to end any involvement, active or passive, of Syrian officials in drug trafficking. The USG also will encourage the Syrian Government to increase its efforts to fight drug production and transit in the region.
