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127 bags of Captagon seized in Syria before being destroyed in May 2018

The Syrian Captagon industry is responsible for about 80% of the global production of the Captagon drug. Syria exports the drug to various countries, mainly in the Middle East region, including Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Gulf states, and Egypt, as well as to organizations such as Hamas and ISIS. The drug export is one of the main sources of income for the government of Bashar al-Assad, helping it to rebuild the country from the economic crisis that hit it following the civil war that took place in the country.[1][2][3]

Background[edit]

The overwhelming majority of Captagon pills are produced in Syria, and a small portion in Lebanon by Hezbollah, which also assists in smuggling the drug.[1] According to estimates, the drug trade amounts to billions of dollars, enabling Assad to cope with the economic crisis that has affected the country since the civil war broke out in 2011.[4][5]

Export of the drug to Middle Eastern countries[edit]

Based on 2023 estimates, about 80% of Captagon is produced in Syria and exported from the port of Latakia with the assistance of the Syrian government under the command of Maher al-Assad.[6] Estimates suggest that the Captagon trade market ranges from $5.7 billion to $57 billion.[7][8] Over the years, hundreds of millions of Captagon pills have been smuggled into Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Gulf countries. One of the main smuggling routes is through the Anbar province, which borders Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. In 2021, more than 250 million Captagon pills were seized worldwide, 18 times more than the number of pills seized in 2017.[9] Additionally, according to Al Jazeera, in 2022, Jordan seized 65 million Captagon pills in Syria en route to its territory. In 2015, the Secretary of Saudi Arabia's National Committee for Drug Control reported that the majority of Captagon consumers are aged 12 to 22.[10]

In May 2023, a summit was held in Jeddah where the Arab League countries reached an agreement on normalization with Syria and lifting the embargo on it following the civil war in Syria, in exchange for suppressing Captagon smuggling from it to other countries in the region, which leads to increased drug consumption among young people, in turn leading to severe damage.[11]

Jordan's response to the drug smuggling[edit]

Following normalization, Syria allowed Jordan to attack drug smugglers within its territory several times, who were smuggling drugs to Jordan. The attacks focused mainly on the As-Suwayda district in southwestern Syria. In some cases, civilians were also killed in the attacks, which raised local criticism of the government for not doing enough to stop the smuggling phenomenon and forcing Jordan to take military action there.[12]

Use of the drug by ISIS terrorists and Hamas militants[edit]

Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists used the drug during the attacks in Paris in 2015.[13] Additionally, during the attack on Israel on 7 October, large quantities of Captagon were found on the bodies of Hamas militants who were killed during the battles.[14][13]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "What is Captagon, the addictive drug mass-produced in Syria?". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  2. ^ "Drug that makes Syrian regime millions trafficked through Europe, report says". POLITICO. 2023-09-13. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  3. ^ "A little white pill, Captagon, gives Syria's Assad a strong tool in winning over Arab states". AP News. 2023-06-09. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  4. ^ "דיווח: כך חיזבאללה מבריח סמים מסוריה לירדן ולטורקיה". www.israelhayom.co.il. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  5. ^ AP (2023-06-11). "הנשק של אסד בפיוס עם העולם הערבי - "הקוקאין של העניים"". Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  6. ^ "Tackling the illicit drug trade fuelling Assad's war machine". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  7. ^ Kachmar, Oleh (2022-04-05). "The Captagon Threat: A Profile of Illicit Trade, Consumption, and Regional Realities". New Lines Institute. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  8. ^ "Why does the UK think Syria has a $57bn captagon industry?". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  9. ^ "פשיעת הסמים: כך הפך הקפטגון למקור ההכנסה העיקרי של אסד וברוני הבקעא". www.makorrishon.co.il. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  10. ^ "הפתוות מלמדות: הסם קפטגון הגיע לכל בית בעולם הערבי". הארץ (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  11. ^ "מחאות, סמים, אלימות ותקיפות ישראליות: סוריה בצל הנורמליזציה האזורית עם אסד". www.inss.org.il. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  12. ^ ארי, ליאור בן (2024-01-18). "ירדן מפציצה מבריחי סמים בסוריה, שם מוחים נגד המשטר: "הסוחר נמצא בארמון הנשיאות"". Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  13. ^ a b "High on Captagon and Antisemitism: Everything About 'The ISIS Drug' Used by Hamas". Haaretz. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  14. ^ וינרב, גלי (2023-11-09). "מיוצר בסוריה ומסיר עכבות: זה הסם שנתפס אצל מחבלי חמאס". Globes. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Captagon_industry

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