The fall of former Syrian President Bashar Assad has shed light on a massive trade in the stimulant drug Captagon, which has fueled a $10 billion annual global market. Industrial-scale manufacturing facilities have been uncovered around the country, including at the Mazzeh air base in Damascus, a car-trading company in Latakia, and a factory that once produced snack chips.
Experts say the Assad government recognized an opportunity to profit from Captagon’s addictive properties amidst economic turmoil and sanctions. The drug was smuggled across borders via trucks, cargo shipments, and even concealed in food and construction materials.
According to Caroline Rose, director of the New Lines Institute Captagon Trade Project, the ousted Assad family’s annual profit from Captagon reached around $2.4 billion. However, with Assad’s fall, these networks have been disrupted, providing an opportunity to dismantle the Captagon industry.
The trade has connections to Syria’s war economy and was used as a narco-diplomatic tool by Assad’s government to gain influence over neighboring countries. While Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states imposed penalties for trafficking, their efforts faced challenges from complex networks operating across Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan.
As Syria transitions, there is a risk of new players entering the market or seeking alternative illicit trades. The country’s transitional government should establish programs for economic development to incentivize Syrians to participate in licit economic activities.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/syria-captagon-bashar-assad-97c57e94b9cbc1bdc91926b7e85dc981