Syria (Washington Insider) - Syria’s Captagon crackdown under interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa closed 15 labs and 13 storage sites. Maher al-Assad profited before; Gulf nations remain top buyers despite ongoing stockpiles.
As Stephen Quillen reported on Al Jazeera News, Syria’s Captagon industry, once a major source of income under former president Bashar al-Assad, is now under a strong government crackdown. Authorities closed 15 large laboratories and 13 storage sites used for production and distribution. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime said the crackdown has sharply changed the Captagon market in the region.
What impact will Syria’s Captagon crackdown under Ahmed al-Sharaa have on the region?
Officials mentioned that the crackdown is also part of Syria’s effort to improve its international image. Closing factories and storage sites cuts off billions in illegal revenue and weakens networks tied to the former government. Gulf nations that criticised Syria for its role in the Captagon trade are watching closely.
Western countries that imposed sanctions because of the drug market will also notice the actions. Experts say the shutdown could change the balance of the Captagon trade in the Middle East. While the long-term effects are still unclear, Syria’s new leadership has taken strong measures to control the industry.
Even though the current Syrian government has cracked down on Captagon production, large stockpiles of the drug are still circulating in the region, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. The report also said smaller-scale production likely continues inside Syria and in neighbouring countries. Gulf nations remain the top consumers.
Officials warn that the crackdown could push some users toward other synthetic drugs, including methamphetamine, which has become more common in the region. The changes could affect how drugs are used and trafficked across the Middle East.
After Bashar al-Assad became the President of Syria, he was very beneficial to the Captagon trade within Syria. By 2010, Syria accounted for the largest majority of the world's Captagon supply, which spread widely throughout various areas of the Middle East.
The civil war began in 2011, and despite international sanctions impacting Syria's economy during that time (2011-2012), the Captagon trade remained successful due to the support of the Elite Fourth Division.
The 4th Division was commanded by Maher al-Assad, who happens to be the brother of Bashar al-Assad. The 4th Division kept shipments of Captagon protected while they passed via Latakia, one of the major cities remaining under control of the Syrian government during that time.
Captagon became a major source of revenue generation for the Syrian government and its affiliated militias by 2015. Purchasers were concentrated in the Gulf region, particularly Saudi Arabia, the United ArabEmirates, and Lebanon. After the removal of President Bashar al-Assad in 2024, interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa initiated a campaign against Captagon use in Syria.