Uncovering Captagon: Syria's Legacy of Illicit Stimulants

After the fall of the al-Assad regime in Syria, large caches of captagon, an illicit drug, were found and linked to the regime's military. Originally a legal pharmaceutical stimulant, captagon has become a major black-market drug, particularly in Syria and its neighboring countries, generating billions in revenue.

In the wake of the al-Assad regime's collapse in Syria, significant stockpiles of the illicit drug captagon have been discovered, allegedly tied to the regime's military activities. This revelation implicates the fallen government in the production and distribution of the drug, which has deep roots in the pharmaceutical industry.

Captagon is a brand name for a synthetic stimulant with effects similar to amphetamines, once marketed for conditions like ADHD and narcolepsy in Europe and briefly in the United States. Despite its medical origins, captagon's powerful effects have made it a staple in the illegal drug trade, particularly across the Middle East.

The illicit production of captagon, now chiefly in Syria and Lebanon, has created a substantial black market, worth over $7.3 billion between 2020 and 2022. Despite efforts to curb its manufacture and distribution, new suppliers continually emerge, sustaining its prevalence in the region.

(With inputs from agencies.)