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The Syrian Drug Enforcement Administration has confirmed the arrest of Amer Jdeaa Sheikh, a key figure in regional drug trafficking networks, in a joint security operation with Türkiye following months of meticulous monitoring.
According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), Maj. Gen. Khaled Eid, director of the administration, stated that the suspect had been using forged identities and passports to evade capture. “Through exceptional efforts and high-level security coordination, we tracked him until he ultimately settled in Turkish territory,” Eid said.
He added that, under the framework of bilateral cooperation between the Syrian Arab Republic and the Republic of Türkiye, Turkish authorities apprehended the suspect and handed him over to Syria’s General Directorate of Drug Control.
Eid further described Amer Jdeaa Sheikh as one of the region’s most prominent and dangerous drug traffickers, noting that he is wanted by multiple countries for his role in serious, organized criminal activities related to the manufacturing and trafficking of narcotics.
He also revealed that intelligence reports link Sheikh to extensive international smuggling networks and influential figures, most notably Maher al-Assad, who is alleged to oversee large-scale drug production and distribution operations across neighboring states and beyond.
Syrian Interior forces, backed by Turkish helicopters and international coalition support, carried out a joint operation in al-Bab, east of Aleppo, killing four suspected Daesh members and arresting a senior Iraqi leader, according to local reports.
In recent weeks, Türkiye has significantly increased its involvement in security operations within Syria. That intensified cooperation follows a formal request from Syria’s new government for Turkish military assistance aimed at bolstering its defense capabilities and combating terrorist organizations, with a particular focus on Daesh.
According to the Turkish Defense Ministry, efforts are ongoing to provide training, advisory, and technical support to Syrian forces as part of this cooperation. This is not the first example of joint security efforts between the two sides—two weeks ago, Turkish helicopters, alongside international coalition forces, supported Syrian Interior Ministry units during a joint raid in al-Bab, east of Aleppo, which resulted in the deaths of four suspected Daesh militants.
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