Syrian authorities destroy over one million Captagon pills in post-Assad crackdown
The extensive production and smuggling of Captagon not only became a source of income for Assad’s regime during Syria’s civil war but also ravaged public health across the region.
Dec. 26, 2024
Erbil (Kurdistan24) – Syria’s new authorities have burnt large amounts of narcotics, including around one million Captagon pills, a drug that was extensively manufactured during the reign of ousted President Bashar al-Assad, according to two security sources who spoke to Agence France-Presse on Wednesday.
A source from the General Security Administration specified, "The security forces of the new Syrian government uncovered a narcotics warehouse during a sweep of Damascus, specifically in the security zone of the Kafr Sousa area."
A second source confirmed the finding, noticing that "roughly one million pills were discovered... and we incinerated them instantaneously."
An AFP photojournalist described that security personnel set fire to amounts of cannabis, boxes of the drug Tramadol, and about fifty small bags containing pink Captagon pills.
On Dec. 8, opposition factions led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham deposed Bashar al-Assad’s regime after a rapid offensive launched on Nov. 27 from northern Syria.
After governing the country for 24 years, Bashar al-Assad fled to Moscow, marking the end of over 50 years of Assad dynasty in Syria.
Captagon and Assad's Syria
Captagon manufacture became a symbol of Bashar al-Assad’s rule, altering Syria into a hub for the illegal drug trade.
The drug, a synthetic amphetamine, discovered profitable markets across the Middle East, predominantly in Iraq and Gulf nations like Saudi Arabia.
The extensive production and smuggling of Captagon not only became a source of income for Assad’s regime during Syria’s civil war but also ravaged public health across the region.
The trade drew international condemnation, with the United States imposing sanctions on several Syrian officials that were suspects of running Captagon operations.
Washington described Syria as a "narco-state," with its economy deeply dependent on the drug trade during Assad's reign.
The Road Ahead
The downfall of Assad marks a crucial moment in Syria's history, offering hope for dismantlement of the drug networks that thrived under his rule.
The new authorities have pledged to concentrate on fighting organized crime and rebuilding trust among the Syrian people, highlighting efforts to restrain the production and trafficking of illicit substances that once afflicted the nation and its neighbors.
