Syria in the drug war: New rulers burn a million Captagon pills!

There is a dramatic change in Syria: the new rulers recently burned large quantities of drugs in the capital Damascus, including around a million Captagon pills. This amphetamine-like drug, which became the mainstay of Syria's drug trade under the former regime of Bashar al-Assad, is accused of turning the country into the center of the international drug market. Several reports, such as from Today.at, document that the new rulers, including the Islamist group Hajat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), want to put an end to the drug wars and seek out and destroy large drug warehouses.

During the large-scale destruction, in addition to the Captagon pills, cannabis and the painkiller tramadol were also set ablaze. The drugs were discovered in the courtyard of a building belonging to the former Syrian security apparatus. A representative of the new rulers explained that the drugs were destroyed in order to protect Syrian society and stop the business activities of the Assad clan. The drug trade was a significant source of income for the Assad regime; In 2021 alone, Captagon sales generated an estimated $5.7 billion, as reported Tagesschau.de reported.

A drug-ridden society

Captagon is known as the “little man’s cocaine” and has established itself as a party drug, particularly in the Middle East. In Saudi Arabia it is widespread among the elite; But workers also use them to cope with high work speeds. The drug, originally developed to treat narcolepsy and ADHD in the 1960s, is now considered dangerous and highly addictive.

Recent developments, such as the destruction of drug stocks, are the new governments' first step to banish the shadows of drug-related crime and stabilize the country. Ahmed Al Sharaa, the new leader in Damascus, has announced a tough campaign against drug trafficking to regain control of the Assad dynasty's illegal activities.