American Priest Sentenced to 30 Years for Drug Smuggling and Terrorist Support Involvement

The Syrian News Agency (Sana) reported that an American federal court in Virginia sentenced a priest of Syrian and Lebanese nationality to 30 years in prison for involvement in terrorist-related drug offenses. The United States Department of Justice confirmed the sentencing, noting the priest was also sentenced to 20 years for providing support to the Colombian National Liberation Army, an organization designated as a terrorist group.

According to the Department of Justice, the priest met with entities linked to terrorist organizations, visited several countries including Kenya, and signed commercial contracts for the shipment of containers from Latin America. These actions were part of a smuggling operation involving prohibited substances. The priest’s activities included direct collaboration with senior military officials of the former Syrian regime to facilitate arms and drug smuggling transactions.

Confessions obtained during the investigation revealed that the priest paid $10,000 for each kilogram of cocaine imported through the port of Latakia. This financial arrangement underscores the extent of the priest’s involvement in illicit networks that supported the former regime’s operations. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported in its 2025 World Drug Report that the trade in Captagon generated billions of dollars for the former Syrian regime during the years of the revolution.

International sanctions and economic isolation had forced the regime to rely increasingly on illicit sources of income. Last March, Antoine Kass, associated with the former Syrian regime, was convicted by a jury of drug smuggling, money laundering, and conspiracy to provide material support to a terrorist organization. This case highlights the complex web of international drug and arms trafficking networks that have supported various regimes and organizations.

The sentencing reflects the legal system’s commitment to holding individuals accountable for their roles in criminal enterprises, regardless of their affiliations or positions. It also underscores the global nature of such networks and the need for continued vigilance and cooperation among nations to combat transnational crime. As Micah 6:8 reminds us, we are called to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God, which includes pursuing justice and accountability in all aspects of life.

Source: Read the original report (translated from Arabic)