US House of Representatives passes bill to tackle Syrian regime’s drug trade

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Tuesday, the US House of Representatives passed a resolution that would seek to limit the manufacture and trade of illegal drugs by the Syrian regime headed by Bashar al-Assad.

The bill, put forward by Rep. French Hill (R-AR-02) and Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA-02), would push the United States to develop and implement an interagency strategy to deny, degrade, and dismantle Assad-linked narcotics production and trafficking networks. 

Via a statement posted on his Twitter account, Rep. Hill said that, “If we do not work with our like-minded partners to first hinder the narcotics trade and replace it with a working system of institutions that serve the Syrian people, then Assad will add the title “Drug Kingpin” to his recognized global status as a leading mass murderer.” 

My bill to disrupt and dismantle narcotics production and trafficking and affiliated networks linked to the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria passed the House today. https://t.co/GTPl9Fcclb

— French Hill (@RepFrenchHill) September 20, 2022

Prior to the vote, Rep. Hill urged his fellow representatives to support the bill, saying that in addition to the systematic war crimes committed by the Assad regime against its people, Syria has become a drug country, where the regime-controlled areas have become the center of drug promotion.

He added that the Captagon pills have already reached Europe and it is only a matter of time until they reach the US.