Syria, Iraq Seize 2.5 Million Captagon Pills in Joint Anti-Drug Operation

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Anti-narcotics authorities in Syria and Iraq have seized 2.5 million captagon stimulant pills during coordinated security operations carried out in both countries, Syria’s Interior Ministry announced on Thursday.

In a statement, the ministry said the joint raids led to the arrest of two suspects in Syria and one in Iraq, describing the operation as the result of “systematic intelligence work” and close cooperation between Damascus and Baghdad.

The arrests were carried out in the Syrian governorates of Homs and Rural Damascus, as well as in territory inside Iraq, the statement added.

Syrian state media SANA described the operation as a major breakthrough, saying it significantly disrupted the network’s operational and logistical capabilities by cutting off one of its main trafficking routes, without providing further details.

Captagon, a powerful synthetic stimulant, emerged as Syria’s largest illicit export during the civil war that began in 2011, with revenues from the trade serving as a major source of funding for the government of former president Bashar Assad.

Since Assad’s fall, Syria’s new authorities have reported a series of large-scale captagon seizures across the country. Despite these efforts, neighboring states continue to announce interceptions of major drug shipments, underscoring the ongoing regional challenge posed by the captagon trade.