Full Breakdown
US Sentences Lebanese-Syrian Trafficker Antione Kassis to 30 Years for Narco-Terrorism
7/5/2026, 8:45:35 AM
Sentencing Overview
On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Drug Enforcement Administration sentenced 59-year-old Antione Kassis, a Lebanese-Syrian national based in Lebanon, to 30 years in federal prison for a narco-terrorism conspiracy and a concurrent 20-year term for providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization.
Context and Operation Take Back America
The case falls under Operation Take Back America, the DOJ’s anti-illegal-immigration initiative aimed at eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations. Officials note that Syrian-origin weapons were trafficked to Latin America, where they intersected with cocaine smuggling.
Main Actors
- Antione Kassis – the convicted trafficker who allegedly used contacts in the Assad regime.
- The Syrian government – alleged source of the weapons; Kassis claimed familial ties to Bashar and Maher Assad.
- The National Liberation Army (ELN) – Colombian guerrilla group designated a terrorist organization.
- Hamas and the Sinaloa Cartel – identified as partners in Kassis’s money-laundering network.
Timeline & Key Numbers
2023-2024 – trial presented evidence of weapons-cocaine exchanges.
April 19, 2024 – Syrian Interior Ministry announced foiling a Hezbollah-linked sabotage plot.
Dec 22, 2024 – Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa met Turkish FM Hakan Fidan in Damascus.
May 2, 2025 – Kassis sentenced.
The indictment cites hundreds of kilograms of cocaine and Syrian-sourced weapons.
Implications
The conviction demonstrates U.S. action against networks that combine state-sponsored arms with illicit drug trafficking. It also coincides with Syrian government statements about cracking down on drug smuggling and foiling sabotage plots, highlighting overlapping criminal and security concerns in the region.
Official Statements
The DOJ said the conviction “achieve[s] the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations.” Syrian Interior Ministry officials highlighted “foiling a sabotage plot by a cell linked to the Hezbollah terrorist militia,” framing the case within a broader anti-terror effort.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Kassis’s claim of being Bashar Assad’s cousin and a close associate of Maher Assad is unverified. Syrian officials portray a crackdown on drug smuggling, contrasting with allegations that regime-linked weapons fueled the ELN deal.
Verbatim Quotes
- “achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations,” — U.S. Department of Justice
- “foiled a sabotage plot by a cell linked to the Hezbollah terrorist militia.” — Syrian Interior Ministry
- “ A source told Syrian state media SANA that ‘the cell had planned to launch rockets across the border with the aim of undermining stability.” — Syrian state media (SANA)
- “Kassis was also given a concurrent 20-year sentence for conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terror organization.” — U.S. federal court opinion
International Reactions
Syrian Interior Ministry officials reported the April 19, 2024 sabotage-plot foiling as evidence of ongoing security operations. The Syrian government’s statement on drug-smuggling crackdowns follows the installation of President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
