Syria’s Captagon Drug Trade Exposed After Assad Regime Falls

Rebels uncover massive amphetamine production network that sustained Syria’s war economy, revealing ties to former regime officials and militias.

Rebel forces have discovered multiple Captagon production facilities near Damascus, previously operated under the Assad regime's control.
The amphetamine trade was a key economic lifeline for the Assad regime, generating up to $5.6 billion annually, surpassing Syria's formal GDP in recent years.
Production sites included industrial complexes and villas, where drugs were hidden in items like fake fruit, plasterboard, and electrical equipment for smuggling.
The Assad regime's 4th Armoured Division, led by Maher al-Assad, and Iranian-backed militias were heavily involved in facilitating and protecting the drug trade.
Neighboring countries, including Jordan and Gulf states, suffered from increased addiction issues and crime linked to Captagon smuggling routes originating in Syria.