Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - The Government on has said that the recent package of measures it had introduced, including an amendment to the anti-smuggling law, are aimed at safeguarding the society and the economy against drug, weapon and tobacco smuggling.

In a statement issued on Saturday following limited riots in the northern city of Ramtha over the amendments to the anti-smuggling law, the government said smuggling poses a grave danger to the society and the national economy and confronting such phenomenon is a national duty.

The government said it understands the difficult conditions Ramtha, a northern border city, had lived over the past years as a result of the closure of borders with Syria, emphasizing that it has plans in place to resolve such problems.

While emphasizing the need for dialogue and respect for peaceful assembly and expression of opinion, the statement slammed practices by a group of protesters who launched fireworks and hurled stones at police patrols, in addition to closing roads with burning tires and attacking public property.

The statement indicated that the amendment to the anti-smuggling law is not confined to the Jabir border crossing but includes all land, air and sea entry points given the recent uptick in narcotics and tobacco smuggling.