Information Minister: war on drugs is long, urges regional strategy to curb smugglers

Amman: Minister of Government Communications and official government spokesman Muhannad Mubaidin said Saturday that Jordan deals with armed drug smugglers on its northern borders as the biggest threat to national security. "The war with these groups is long, and will not end with a raid today or a month ago," he said on Al Mamlaka Television, adding that smuggling has become a popular trade in a region that has been lax in addressing it for a decade and that increased amidst the security turmoil in Syria. The minister called for a regional strategy to counter armed groups trying to smuggle drugs to any country, not just Jordan. He urged society and grassroots institutions to defend their children from these groups, raise the alarm and spread awareness on the need to stand firmly against the scourge of drugs. Since 2 am today, clashes have taken place between Jordanian border guard troops and armed groups of smugglers on the northern border of the Kingdom, according to a source at the General Command of th e Jordan Armed Forces- Arab Army. A number of smugglers were injured and arrested in these clashes and attempts to smuggle in large amounts of drugs and weapons were foiled, it said. Source: Jordan News Agency