Syrian authorities have arrested a cousin of former President Bashar Assad, who is under U.S. sanctions for his alleged role in drug trafficking and support to forces loyal to the ousted government. The Interior Ministry did not say when or where Wassim Badi Assad was arrested. The U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on him in March 2023. It said Wassim Assad had publicly called for the formation of sectarian militias to support the government and was a key figure in the regional drug trafficking network, partnering with high-level suppliers to smuggle Captagon and other drugs throughout the region.
