A deep-rooted network of corruption and smuggling in Lebanon’s pharmaceutical sector has flooded the market with counterfeit medicines, seriously endangering public health.

Although the regime of Bashar al-Assad, which oversaw drug production and smuggling, has fallen, remnants of his networks are still active and continue to pose a threat to Syria’s neighbors, especially Jordan.

The Syrian-Lebanese border, a hotspot for smuggling under Assad's regime, prompted the Syrian Border Security Administration to launch a campaign on February 6, 2025, to crack down on illicit trade.

Jordan's FM Ayman Safadi visited Damascus, signaling support for Syria's reconstruction and security cooperation.