The fall of Bashar Assad’s regime has revealed extensive captagon trafficking in Syria, with Islamist-led forces uncovering large caches of the drug. HTS fighters linked the trade to Assad’s brother, Maher, amid ongoing efforts to eradicate the drug supply, which has financed the regime throughout the civil war. The situation highlights the consequences of drug trafficking on governance and regional stability.
In a significant turn of events, the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime in Syria has unveiled the extent of illicit activities under his rule, notably the extensive trafficking of the banned substance captagon. Islamist-led forces, particularly the Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), have taken control of strategic military installations and distribution networks for this amphetamine-type stimulant, which has pervaded the black market throughout the Middle East. On a recent visit to a quarry warehouse near Damascus, HTS operatives disclosed the recovery of a substantial cache of captagon pills concealed within electrical components, affirming their intention to eradicate this drug supply. Abu Malek Al-Shami, a masked HTS combatant, revealed insights into the operation, linking captagon production to Maher Assad, the former military commander and Bashar Assad’s brother, who remains elusive and is presumed to be evading capture.
It has been reported that Maher Assad and his associate, Amer Khiti, play pivotal roles in sustaining the export trade of captagon, a venture that allegedly financed Assad’s government amidst the prolonged civil conflict in Syria. In a detailed examination, the HTS fighters found thousands of captagon pills stored in newly manufactured household voltage stabilizers, signaling an elaborate smuggling operation. Shami noted the difficulty in estimating the quantity, further highlighting the vast scale of this enterprise. Crates destined for export were filled with the stimulant alongside caustic soda, an essential ingredient often used in methamphetamine production.
The revenue generated from captagon trafficking has reportedly rendered Syria the foremost narco-state globally, surpassing all other legal exports combined. Following the swift offensive by HTS forces, smaller stockpiles of captagon have been discovered in military setups linked to Maher Assad’s command, with further drug incineration observed at the now-HTS-controlled Mazzeh air base. One HTS fighter, known as Khattab, described the large quantities of the drug found and the necessity to destroy it, emphasizing the detrimental effects of captagon on individuals and the environment. He articulated HTS’s stance, asserting a desire not to harm neighboring nations by continuing the lucrative export of the substance, which is valued at billions in illicit trade.
The article highlights the ramifications of the collapse of Bashar Assad’s government in Syria, which has led to the exposure of widespread drug trafficking operations involving captagon. This stimulant has found a significant foothold in the Middle Eastern black market, primarily facilitated by militant groups like Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham. The drug trade has been instrumental in financing Assad’s regime throughout the ongoing civil war, and recent military victories have allowed insurgents to uncover and destroy substantial caches of this drug, marking a critical turning point in Syria’s ongoing conflict and governance.
The discovery and destruction of captagon by HTS fighters underscore the intersection of drug trafficking and political power within Syria’s crisis. The substantial presence of captagon not only reflects the war-torn state’s descent into narco-territory under Assad’s rule, but it also illustrates the challenges ahead for successor administrations as they navigate the dual threats of narcotics and governance in a post-conflict landscape. As HTS claims responsibility for seizing drugs and seeks to reform the transitional government, the future of captagon trafficking and its implications within Syria remain critical areas of concern.
Original Source: www.arabnews.com
