Syria’s interior ministry has announced that security forces have seized about 11 million Captagon stimulant pills smuggled into the country from neighbouring Lebanon, one of the largest drug busts since the fall of former ruler Bashar al-Assad.
In a statement, the ministry said that “the anti-narcotics branch in Homs province seized a vehicle coming from Lebanon containing approximately 11 million captagon pills.” Authorities said investigations were ongoing to identify those involved and to uncover the criminal networks linked to the operation.
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n a statement, the ministry said that “the anti-narcotics branch in Homs province seized a vehicle coming from Lebanon containing approximately 11 million captagon pills.” Authorities said investigations were ongoing to identify those involved and to uncover the criminal networks linked to the operation.
Captagon, a highly addictive amphetamine-type stimulant, became Syria’s most lucrative export during the civil war that began in 2011, serving as a key funding source for Assad’s government. Since his ouster in December, the country’s new authorities have reported several major seizures of the drug, though neighbouring states continue to intercept large shipments originating from Syria and Lebanon.
In Lebanon, Hezbollah, a close ally of the former Syrian regime, has also faced accusations of using the captagon trade to finance its operations. In September, the Lebanese military seized 64 million pills in eastern Lebanon, marking one of its largest operations against the illicit trade.
The synthetic drug continues to flood the region, prompting calls from neighbouring countries for Syria and Lebanon to intensify efforts to dismantle the networks behind its production and smuggling.
