New York – Syria continues to serve as a central hub for the production and trafficking of the amphetamine-type stimulant Captagon, according to the latest World Drug Report issued on Thursday by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Despite a recent clampdown on drug activities following the fall of the previous regime in December 2024, the country remains a focal point in the regional drug trade.
The report highlights that the former regime heavily relied on Captagon manufacturing and smuggling as a primary source of income during Syria’s prolonged conflict. This illicit industry generated billions of dollars in revenue, helping the regime maintain its economic footing despite international sanctions and political isolation.
Following the transition of power, Syria’s new government adopted a more stringent stance against drug-related activities. Authorities have reportedly destroyed large quantities of seized Captagon and publicly committed to dismantling the infrastructure used for production and trafficking. However, the UN notes that drug flows remain active, especially through the southern border with Jordan, where well-organized smuggling networks continue to operate.
Read also: UN: Syrian Refugee Returns Depend on Infrastructure and Services
Angela Me, Chief of Social Affairs at UNODC, stated that Captagon production in the region has not ceased and is, in fact, expanding. “We’re also seeing that the trafficking is expanding regionally, and we’ve discovered labs in Libya,” she said.
Me emphasized that the persistence of the Captagon trade is driven by the enormous profits it yields and its deep entrenchment within transnational organized crime networks. “This is not a national problem. It’s clearly a transnational problem which goes beyond the Middle East” she added.
In response to the ongoing threat, Syrian authorities outlined a series of recent achievements in their anti-drug campaign. Brigadier General Khaled Eid, Director of the Anti-Narcotics Department, stated in an interview with the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) that the current administration has prioritized dismantling drug networks as part of its national recovery plan.
Since the beginning of 2025, Syrian security forces have seized 13 Captagon manufacturing warehouses, 121 tons of precursor chemicals, and over 320 million Captagon pills. Additional confiscations include 1,826 kilograms of hashish, 2,399 packages of Lyrica, 312 packs of Zolam, 172 packs of Pregabalin, 2,030 grams of cocaine, 7,118 grams of hashish derivative, 795 grams of marijuana, and 759 grams of heroin powder.
