A U.S. federal court in the state of Virginia sentenced Antoine Kassis, one of the leading figures in drug trafficking networks linked to Syria’s deposed regime to 30 years in prison after convicting him of providing material support to a terrorist organization and carrying out cross-border money laundering operations.
According to Kassis confession to the court, he worked directly with Maher al-Assad, the brother of the ousted president Bashar al-Assad, and other senior military officials in the deposed regime to complete the deal.
U.S. Department of Justice said the federal court imposed concurrent prison terms on Kassis, a dual Syrian-Lebanese national.
He received a 30-year sentence for terrorism-related drug trafficking offenses and a 20-year sentence for providing material support to Colombia’s National Liberation Army (ELN), which the United States designates as a foreign terrorist organization. The sentences must be carried out simultaneously.
According to evidence presented at trial, Kassis, who is related to the ousted regime through his mother’s family, helped arrange a $14 million deal to smuggle 500 kilograms of cocaine supplied by Colombia’s National Liberation Army (ELN).
In exchange, entities linked to the group were to receive advanced military-grade weapons from the stockpiles of Syria’s deposed regime.
Prosecutors also said Kassis conspired with individuals and criminal networks in Colombia and Mexico to transport narcotics and weapons outside Syria.
According to the confessions, Kassis worked directly with Maher al-Assad and senior military officials in the regime to complete arms and drug-smuggling deals.
He also paid the ousted regime $10,000 for each kilogram of cocaine imported through the port of Latakia.
SANA
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