FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JULY 02, 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Syrian Emergency Task Force (SETF) and the Surat Team welcome today’s sentencing of Antoine Kassis, a Syrian-Lebanese national and relative of Bashar al-Assad. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia sentenced Kassis to 30 years imprisonment for narco-terrorism conspiracy and 20 years imprisonment for conspiracy to provide material support to a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), to be served concurrently.
The sentencing follows Kassis’ March 2026 conviction, when a federal jury found him guilty on all counts after a trial exposing the Assad regime’s involvement in international narcotics trafficking, weapons smuggling, money laundering, and support for transnational criminal and terrorist networks.
SETF and the Surat Team played a key role in the investigation, working alongside the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and in support of DOJ prosecutors by infiltrating narcotics trafficking networks and providing critical intelligence, documentation, and testimony over several years that helped build the case. Mohamed Hassan, Director of the Surat Team, said: “We are honored to have contributed to the investigative effort through intelligence development and source-based information. This outcome demonstrates the value of sustained international cooperation in dismantling criminal networks and advancing accountability.”
Antoine Kassis used his close ties to senior Assad regime officials, including Maher al-Assad, to negotiate a scheme to exchange military-grade weapons from Assad regime stockpiles for 500 kilograms of cocaine he believed would be supplied by Colombia’s National Liberation Army (ELN), a U.S.-designated FTO. Evidence also showed that Kassis would pay the Assad regime $10,000 per kilogram of cocaine imported through the Port of Latakia and intended to oversee its distribution throughout the Middle East.
Mouaz Moustafa, SETF’s Executive Director said: “Bashar al Assad’s cousin and Maher’s business partner will now spend the last days or decades of his life behind bars. This should serve as a reminder to every Assad war criminal we will continue to hunt them until justice is served for the Syrian people”
SETF and the Surat Team commends the DOJ, DEA, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, and international partners for their dedication to exposing and holding accountable figures connected to the Assad regime, and is grateful for their trust in SETF and our partners throughout this investigation.
For inquiries, please contact:
Maria Cure, Director of Communications
[email protected] www.setf.ngo
About the Syrian Emergency Task Force
The Syrian Emergency Task Force (SETF) is a Syrian-American 501(c)(3) organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. Dedicated to advancing Syria’s future after the fall of the Assad regime, SETF supports a democratic transition, leads humanitarian efforts, and works to secure justice and accountability for war crimes committed by the regime and its allies. Today, SETF stands as the most notable American organization working on Syria, as evidenced by the impact it has made both on the ground in Syria and the U.S. SETF serves as a resource for education by bringing the voices of the Syrian people to the international stage. From testimonies at the UN Security Council to local grassroots community fundraisers, the team brings together like-minded people who are committed to rebuilding a peaceful, democratic Syria after enduring years of brutality under a repressive dictatorship.
