DAMASCUS, Syria

Syria’s Interior Ministry announced on Saturday that Wassim Badi al-Assad, cousin of ousted regime leader Bashar al-Assad and a top suspect in war crimes and large-scale drug trafficking, has been arrested during a security operation.

According to a statement by the ministry on Telegram, Wassim was captured through a joint operation carried out by the General Intelligence Directorate in coordination with Interior Ministry units.

"The General Intelligence Directorate, in collaboration with relevant Interior Ministry departments, successfully ambushed and apprehended the criminal Wassim Assad, known for committing numerous crimes during the former regime era and for being one of the most prominent drug traffickers," the statement said.

Born in 1980, Wassim is married and resides in Syria's coastal province Tartus. For years, he has been recognized as a central figure in Syria’s drug trade.

As a cousin of Bashar al-Assad, Wassim has been included in the sanctions lists of both the US and the EU.

He was particularly known for his role in the production and smuggling of narcotic pills, serving as a crucial figure in the financial and logistical operations of the network.

Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia in December, ending the Baath Party’s regime, which had been in power since 1963.

Ahmad Al-Sharaa, who led anti-regime forces to oust Assad, was declared president for a transitional period in January.