FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
APRIL 20, 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Syrian Emergency Task Force (SETF) is proud to announce that the ‘Illicit Captagon Trafficking Suppression Act of 2023’ (H.R.4681), which passed the House of Representatives with an overwhelming bipartisan majority on April 16, was included in the national security supplemental package as part of the 21st Century Peace through Strength Act (H.R. 8038)” This bill was voted on Saturday April 20th, 2024 and passed the House of Representatives, and is expected to rapidly become law as it moves along the Senate and reaches the Presidential office.
The Assad regime, alienated and sanctioned by the international community for its atrocities in Syria, resorts to trafficking Captagon, a narcotic, to evade sanctions and fund its war machine. The ‘Illicit Captagon Trafficking Suppression Act of 2023’ builds on previous legislation, namely the ‘Countering Assad’s Proliferation Trafficking And Garnering Of Narcotics Act’ that passed in late 2022, to impose and expand primary and secondary sanctions on those involved in the drug trade, aiming to disrupt Assad’s criminal networks and bolster regional security.
Veronica Zanetta-Brandoni SETF’s Director of Advocacy said: “The passage of the Illicit Captagon Trafficking Suppression Act sends an important signal to the Assad regime and its allies that the United States is standing with the people of Syria. By expanding primary and secondary sanctions to Captagon-related transactions, the US will be able to significantly curb one of the main streams of revenue the Assad regime uses to fuel its machinery of death.”
SETF expresses gratitude to Congressman French Hill of Arkansas and Congressman Michael McCaul from Texas for their leadership, as well as to both Republicans and Democrats in the House of Representatives, for their ongoing efforts to increase pressure on the regime in Damascus. This is another victory of the Syrian people in their aspirations for freedom and democracy.
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About the Syrian Emergency Task Force
The Syrian Emergency Task Force is a Syrian-American 501(c)(3) headquartered in Washington, D.C. SETF works tirelessly to bring an end to the killing in Syria through humanitarian initiatives, advocacy and the pursuit of justice and accountability for war crimes. 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 determined to fight for a safe, and free Syria away from the vicious dictatorship.
For any inquiries, please contact:
Maria Cure
Director of Communications
[email protected]
www.setf.ngo