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In a new surge of drug trafficking in the Middle East, captagon, a stimulant with amphetamine-like effects, is wreaking havoc along Syria’s borders and impacting countries across the region. The drug, used by a wide range of people—from students and taxi drivers to militia fighters—has led to a booming trade that is both lucrative and destabilizing, especially for regions like Jordan, which shares a tense border with Syria. The rise of captagon has added yet another layer of conflict to the area, triggering an alarming health crisis and fueling both war and crime.

 

 

Captagon’s multibillion-dollar trade has become a primary source of revenue for the Syrian regime under President Bashar al-Assad and Hezbollah, both of which benefit heavily from the illicit profits. According to the New Lines Institute, an estimated $5.7 billion captagon market has flourished, with Assad’s regime alone earning approximately $2.4 billion annually from 2020 to 2022, which accounts for nearly one-fourth of Syria’s GDP. This surge in profits has helped offset sanctions placed by Western countries, bolstering Assad’s administration, which has been widely accused of enabling large-scale captagon production. However, Syrian officials have consistently denied any role in the drug trade.

 

 

Captagon smuggling has placed heavy strain on Syria’s neighboring countries, particularly Jordan, which has deployed around one-third of its army along the border to intercept the drugs and weapons trafficked by the same networks. Jordanian authorities have reported a range of smuggling methods, from using drones and catapults to hiring women and children as drug couriers. Recent political and social tensions have led to an increase in captagon seizures along the Jordanian-Syrian border, especially since the beginning of Israel’s conflict with Gaza, with U.S. officials fearing that Iranian-backed factions may be involved in escalating drug and arms smuggling.

 

In January, a devastating incident in Orman, a small village in Syria close to the Jordanian border, underscored the severity of the captagon crisis. Two explosions killed ten people, including women and children, an attack Jordan has been suspected of conducting in response to the ongoing smuggling. In a rare move, Jordanian authorities acknowledged their determination to fight the drug and arms trade, saying they are prepared to confront the threats posed by these networks. "The Syrian regime is creating an example for states that are weathered and under sanctions and are looking to make a buck, a very good buck," said Caroline Rose, a captagon trade expert at the New Lines Institute.

 

While amphetamines have long held appeal in the Gulf region, captagon’s recent expansion has marked a dangerous development. Once manufactured in Germany for medical purposes, captagon found its way into Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley in the 1990s, facilitated by criminal networks. The 2011 Syrian war only intensified this trade as economic collapse across Syria and Lebanon opened the door for the drug’s mass production, helping the Assad regime secure additional revenue.

 

According to Col. Farid al-Qassem, a Syrian defector now working with U.S. troops, Assad’s regime “continues to fully rely on captagon” for survival, noting the drug’s role as a backbone of the economy. Pseudoephedrine, the primary ingredient in captagon, is imported in massive quantities. In 2020, Syria reported 110,000 pounds of the substance—an amount comparable to pharmaceutical hubs like Switzerland—despite its crumbling health infrastructure, a fact that raised concerns with international authorities.

 

The captagon crisis has expanded beyond the Middle East, reaching Europe, with major busts occurring in Italy, Greece, and Germany. German authorities recently began prosecuting four men linked to a $60 million captagon seizure, an example of the growing international impact. “It’s becoming extremely clear that these illicit networks are trying to create a foothold in Europe,” said Rose, predicting a trickle effect that could bring the drug into Europe and possibly the U.S. markets in the near future.

 

The U.S. has recognized the captagon trade as a significant threat, enacting the Captagon Act in 2022 to curb the network’s expansion and aid Middle Eastern allies in battling it. Though the U.S. has provided surveillance equipment, it has not deployed troops to Jordan, leaving the region to tackle the crisis. However, hopes of Syrian cooperation have dwindled as officials in Jordan and Saudi Arabia report little follow-through from Assad. Meanwhile, captagon’s reach continues to extend, posing increasing challenges for international law enforcement and heightening concerns for public health and safety across the globe.

 

Based on a report from the WSJ 2024-10-29

 

 

 

[Purdey]

Demand drives supply. Find out why there is demand and then find a way to decrease that demand. Forcing truck drivers to take rest breaks more often might help.

[pacovl46]

3 hours ago, Purdey said:

Demand drives supply. Find out why there is demand and then find a way to decrease that demand. Forcing truck drivers to take rest breaks more often might help.

That's not how it works  if you like a drug because of its effect then it won't matter how many breaks you're forced to take. There will always be people who want to take drugs, just like there will always be people who like to drink and there's nothing anyone can do about that. As long as the drug is available it will ne consumed and ridding an entire country of a drug is pretty much impossible. 

[georgegeorgia]

17 hours ago, pacovl46 said:

That's not how it works  if you like a drug because of its effect then it won't matter how many breaks you're forced to take. There will always be people who want to take drugs, just like there will always be people who like to drink and there's nothing anyone can do about that. As long as the drug is available it will ne consumed and ridding an entire country of a drug is pretty much impossible. 

Oh ok then ,you would know then ,ok Mr Expert