Syrian authorities nab cousin of former dictator Assad wanted for drug trafficking

DAMASCUS, Syria — Syrian authorities have arrested a cousin of former President Bashar al-Assad, who is under US sanctions for his alleged role in drug trafficking and support to forces loyal to the ousted government, the Interior Ministry says.

The ministry does not say when or where Wassim Badi Assad was arrested. It says that he was wanted in cases of drug trafficking and other crimes before insurgents toppled the Assad family in December after a 54-year rule.

The US Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on Wassim Assad in March 2023. It said Wassim Assad had publicly called for the formation of sectarian militias to support the government and was a key figure in the regional drug trafficking network, partnering with high-level suppliers to smuggle contraband, Captagon, and other drugs throughout the region.

Syria’s conflict that began in March 2011 fragmented the country, crumbled the economy, and created fertile ground for the production of the amphetamine-like stimulant Captagon. Militias, warlords, and the Assad government transformed the production of the drug from a small-scale operation run by criminal groups into a billion-dollar industrial revenue stream.

חדשות נוספות: וסים אל-אסד, בן דודו של נשיא סוריה המודח, נעצר בידי השלטונות באזור תלכלח' לא הרחק מגבול לבנון – סוריה. משמאל בימים יפים יותר pic.twitter.com/iwjHAzJkQq

— roi kais • روعي كايس • רועי קייס (@kaisos1987) June 21, 2025