Syria Seizes Massive Captagon Hauls in Daraa and Aleppo Raids
Syrian security forces said Friday they intercepted two major drug operations, seizing hundreds of thousands of Captagon pills in Daraa and Aleppo as part of what officials described as a nationwide crackdown.
According to Khaled Eid, director of Syria’s Anti-Narcotics Department, officers in the southern province of Daraa uncovered a stash of Captagon concealed in food jars filled with tomato paste. The drugs, he said, were destined for smugglers attempting to move them across the border.
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In a separate raid in the northern city of Aleppo, security units dismantled a trafficking network and seized around 200,000 pills. Eid said both operations reflect ongoing efforts to “combat drug trafficking and safeguard public security.”
Captagon, a powerful amphetamine-based stimulant, was first produced in the 1960s as a treatment for conditions including narcolepsy and depression. By the 1980s, most countries had outlawed it due to its highly addictive nature. In recent years, Syria has been identified as both a hub for Captagon production and a key transit route, fueling concerns across the Middle East.
Damascus has pledged to continue its campaign against the trade, which has become one of the region’s most lucrative illicit industries. Authorities have urged Syrians to cooperate by reporting suspicious activity, as regional governments accuse traffickers of destabilizing societies and financing armed groups through the drug’s widespread sales.
The seizures highlight the scale of Syria’s narcotics problem at a time when Captagon smuggling has become a central security issue for neighboring states, particularly Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
