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Seven suspects detained in heroin smuggling attempt

By Rana Husseini - Jan 25,2014 - Last updated at Jan 25,2014

AMMAN — Anti-Narcotics Department (AND) agents arrested seven suspects, including three Arabs, who allegedly attempted to smuggle 30 kilogrammes of heroin via a northern border crossing last week, official sources said on Saturday.

Border personnel and agents from the department became suspicious of a vehicle that was entering the Kingdom last week and decided to conduct a thorough search, a senior AND official said.

“The search yielded 30 kilogrammes of heroin that was hidden in secret compartments on the sides of the vehicle,” the official explained.

Preliminary questioning of the driver and two of the passengers indicated that the men were purportedly “intending to deliver the illegal narcotics to four Jordanian men”, according to the official.

“The authorities arrested the four men... who confessed that they planned to smuggle the illegal drugs to a neighbouring country,” he said.

The State Security Court prosecutor issued an order for the suspects to be detained for 15 days pending further investigation into the case.

Heroin is a highly addictive drug derived from morphine, which is obtained from the opium poppy, according to web sources.

The dangers of heroin use include fatal overdose, high risk of infections such as HIV/AIDS, collapsed veins, infection of the heart lining and valves, and liver disease.

In a similar operation last month, AND agents impounded 10 kilogrammes of heroin that was hidden in a big fire extinguisher on a truck that was attempting to cross the port city of Aqaba to a neighbouring country and arrested a group of suspects.

Earlier this month, AND Director Col. Sami Askar said that 8,945 suspects were involved in around 6,504 drug cases last year.

In 2011, AND agents seized 92.4 kilogrammes of heroin, while in 2010, the amount stood at 255 kilogrammes, according to official statistics.

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