AMMAN — Over the course of 33 years of its open war on drug dealers
and traffickers, Jordan has lost 17 people who died defending the safety of the
Kingdom from drugs. The
Anti-Narcotics Department (AND), which is affiliated with the
Public Security Directorate (PSD), has lost 14 members so far, while the
Jordanian Armed Forces - the Arab Army – has lost three.
اضافة اعلان
Jordan
was early to recognize the dangers of drugs, establishing a specialized office
to combat drugs in 1968, which was then under the Criminal Investigations
Department, Al-Mamlaka TV reported.
On
January 4, 1973, the
Anti-Narcotics Department was established and received Royal support for the
past 51 years.
In
1993, the first center for treating drug addiction was established in Jordan.
In
2013, a special missions team was established to manage the fight against drugs
after the war on drugs intensified due to the border crisis in neighboring
countries.
Since
its establishment, the AND has
been combating drug control throughout the Kingdom, enforcing laws, collecting
information on all drug-related matters, preparing appropriate conditions for
arresting those involved in
drug trafficking, rehabilitating the
administration’s employees, and raising their scientific and practical
efficiency. It also organizes records and opens special restrictions for
convicts.
The
administration prepares reports on the drug problem and organizes the necessary
statistics for it, follows up on the legal and administrative procedures
related to drug cases, coordinates with the relevant official authorities,
maintains contact with communication officers in the region and beyond to
activate international cooperation, delivers lectures and holds seminars,
supervises the treatment of addicts, and relies on Article 14 of the
Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Law No. 11 of 1988 in coordination with the
Ministry of Health.
The
first man killed in Jordan’s war on drugs was recorded in 1990 when Lieutenant
Ahmad Al-Sakhni risked his life in a confrontation with drug traffickers. He
was part of the team tasked with arresting a group of traffickers who intended
to smuggle a large quantity of drugs into Jordan. But one of the gang members
fired shots at the Sakhni. His comrades completed the mission and arrested the
gang members. Al-Sakhni and his colleagues in the Anti-Narcotics Department
prevented the smuggling of 250kg of hashish.
In
October 2010, the
Public Security Directorate announced the deaths of Captain
Imad Al-Nawaiseh and Sergeant Omar Al-Zyoud. They joined their colleagues in
arresting a gang of wanted people. The gang retaliated by firing at and killing
Al-Nawaiseh and Al-Zyoud, as well as injuring two of their colleagues.
On
Oct. 1, 2011, Captain Osama Al-Essa was also killed.
First
Lieutenant Wael Al-Dweikat was killed on Oct. 1, 2013, after being injured in a
car accident while returning from official duty.
Captain
Mahmoud Abu Al-Shawareb was killed in October 2014 while performing his
assigned duties.
On
Sept. 20, 2015, AND announced
the death of Sergeant Mohammed Al-Salaima.
On
Jan. 23, 2017, Warrant Officer Mohammed Al-Saqarat was killed while being a
part of a raid. The killers were arrested and the State Security Court issued a
death sentence by hanging on the killer. 13 others were also arrested and
sentenced to hard labor for 10-15 years.
On
July 30, 2017, First Lieutenant Hamza Al-Alawneh and First Lieutenant Sami
Al-Hamaydeh were killed, and a third member of the Anti-Narcotics Department
was injured in an accident during a chase of a wanted person.
Captain
Jaafar Al-Suhaimat was killed after being shot during a confrontation on Apr.
9, 2018.
On
June 8 of the same year, Captain Tareq Al-Sbeileh was also killed. The Grand
Criminal Court sentenced the killer to life in prison.
Lieutenant
Ahmad Al-Rawahneh was killed on Nov. 16, 2018, after he was shot in the head
during a raid on a group of drug criminals.
On
Jan. 15, 2019, Captain Saif Al-Raqad was killed and his colleague was injured
after their military vehicle was involved in a traffic accident in one of the
southern regions.
The
Jordanian Armed Forces - the Arab Army - mourned the deaths of Captain Mohammed
Yassin Musa Al-Khdeirat and Warrant Officer Mohammed Hamed Al-Mashaqbeh on Jan.
16, 2022. They were killed in a confrontation with drug smugglers on one of the
northeastern border fronts. After searching the area, large quantities of drugs
were seized and transferred to the authorities.
On
Dec. 12, 2023, Warrant Officer First Class Iyad Abdel-Hamid Al-Nuaimi of the
Jordanian Armed Forces - the Arab Army - was killed in an armed clash on the
northern border front of the Kingdom with dozens of smugglers who opened fire
on border guard forces. The smugglers took advantage of the lack of visibility
and the density of fog to smuggle large quantities of drugs. The rules of
engagement were applied, resulting in the killing of many smugglers.
These
officials of public security, the armed forces, and security agencies
sacrificed their lives to gain the
honor of martyrdom in defense of the
homeland, leaving an unforgettable legacy of sacrifice, dedication, and
loyalty.
The
State Security Court tried the suspects arrested in these operations and issued
strict sentences in each of these cases, ranging from hanging to life
imprisonment.
JAF are currently waging a fierce war against drug traffickers,
striking their dens and thwarting the qualitative operations that were prepared
to smuggle drugs to neighboring countries through Jordan.
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