EU Sanctions Bashar al-Assad's Relatives for Trafficking Drugs that Fund Syrian Regime

The European Union imposed sanctions on 25 people and 8 companies connected to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for manufacturing and trafficking amphetamines.
The sanctions targeted members of al-Assad's family and security officials involved in producing Captagon, an illegal stimulant that generates $57 billion per year for the Syrian government.
The EU also sanctioned private security companies and individuals linked to human rights abuses and violence in Syria.
Russia's Stroytransgaz engineering firm was sanctioned for supporting al-Assad's government.
The Syrian government denied any involvement in drug production or trafficking.