As the Jordanian border witnesses a significant escalation in the operations to thwart drug smuggling across the border, in conjunction with the military tensions in the region, starting with the Israeli war on Gaza to the escalation in Lebanon, the Kingdom is facing a new scenario in which the southern region has become a frontier for drug trafficking, after it was long confined to the northern region.

In this context, security and military experts stress the need to harness all capacities and capabilities to confront drug trafficking which “targets national security”, as several cases have been recorded over the past few months confirming that the southern region has become a point of smuggling and importing narcotic substances, they said.

This came during a meeting organized by the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD), on November 12, 2024, with  member of the National Alliance for Combatting Narctics in Jordan, retired Major General Dr. Ammar Al-Qudah, to talk about his vision and action plan regarding anti-narcotics efforts as a member of the Upper House of Parliament, and with the participation of members of the alliance, which is affiliated with the Justice Sector Support Forum.

For his part, retired Major General Tayel al-Majali, head of the alliance, said that “Jordan and the region are real targets for drug trafficking, as we are in a real state of war with drug traffickers on the northern and southern borders between the authorities and international gangs, using the latest means and equipment such as drones, which are supposed to be owned exclusively by official bodies and armies.”

Al-Majali called for the need to use the punishment for drug abuse in a way that achieves public deterrence, by adding an offence to the record of the drug abuser temporarily, for a year for example, and if they manage to quit drugs during that year, the offence will be removed from their record, so that they can continue to reform themselves and rectify their behavior.

In turn, Al-Qudah stressed the importance of providing studies that show the extent of drug prevalence and abuse in the Kingdom, as there is a noticeable increase in crimes committed due to drug abuse, which requires -according to him- concerted efforts and cooperation between all segments of society, starting with families, to universities, schools, places of worship, and others to raise awareness of the seriousness of this scourge on young people.

Regarding the National Strategy for the Prevention of the Scourge of Drugs 2024-2026, the attendees indicated that the Anti-narcotics Department, in cooperation with all partners concerned in the implementation of the strategy, is working diligently to reach the desired goal of launching this strategy, which came under the directives of the King, stressing the importance of the family’s role in protecting their children from drug abuse by raising their awareness and keeping an eye on their psychological condition.

Meanwhile, extensive discussions took place among the members of the alliance, where they focused on the need for concerted security, governmental, and civil efforts, including the media, civil society institutions, and experts in this regard, especially with the emergence of narcotic substances containing chemicals that are dangerous to humans. They also stressed the importance of holding more meetings and consultations to integrate efforts in this regard, and that it is necessary to provide special care to juveniles, ensure the continuation of aftercare for drug users after the treatment journey, as well as focusing on educating school and university students about this scourge and including the risks of drug abuse in school curricula.

In conclusion, according to the members, there is a need to invest the membership of the Alliance in the national strategy for the prevention of the drug scourge and its effective role to contribute to reducing the drug problem and working to strengthen joint coordination and concerted efforts with official and civil institutions to secure response tools when needed, in addition to working to raise institutional awareness about the developments of the issue from all aspects, developing collective perceptions of possible solutions, and responding to domestic and regional crises.