Israeli Drug Trafficking Gangs Flood Jordan with Narcotics via Drones
The British newspaper The Telegraph reported that Israeli gangs are smuggling drugs into Jordan using drones. Meanwhile, security forces intercepted a drone carrying narcotics in the Arabah region.
Israeli drug trafficking gangs are flooding Jordan with illicit narcotics, utilizing drones and balloon launches across the border, according to a recent report by the British newspaper The Telegraph. The report highlights that smugglers are capitalizing on the high prices of illegal drugs in Jordan, where cannabis is reportedly valued up to fifteen times higher than in Israel.
Border Incidents and Drones
Simultaneously, Israeli police and IDF forces operated at the scene of a drone crash in the Hai Bar nature reserve area in Yotvata within the Arabah region. The suspected drone crossed from Jordan carrying a payload of drugs before crashing. According to The Telegraph, drug prices in Jordan have surged following the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, which prompted intensified Jordanian military operations to suppress drug smuggling from the neighboring country.
"One Israeli estimated that in Jordan one kg of hashish is worth 7,500 pounds," the report stated, noting that criminal networks smuggling drugs out of Israel often utilize the same methods to traffic weapons into the country.
Jordanian Criticism and IDF Response
Jordanian military officials criticized Israeli announcements regarding intercepted weapons smuggling across the border, claiming they present a selective picture and portray Jordan as a "wild west." In response, the IDF rejected claims that drug smuggling is not taken seriously, pointing to the establishment of the new Division 96 dedicated to border defense and ongoing construction to upgrade the security barrier.
