What is Captagon, the Middle Eastern drug that fuels war, crime and parties

Added to the desolate panorama of the Middle East is a new and worrying crisis: it is the war against Captagon, a medicine which is consumed and sold throughout the region and that he is “lining the pockets” of Iranian-backed militias to buy weapons.

According to a report from The Wall Street Journal , Its consumption is transversal: regardless of social class or border. the Captagon is used by students, night taxi drivers, high-ranking executives and militiamen seeking to “instill courage”.

Furthermore, they reported that Trafficking in this drug is said to be what supports Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, even though he has denied his participation in this affair.

However, His regime is said to be “one of the largest drug syndicates in the world” this would help them compensate for all the years they suffered economic sanctions from the West.

But, What is Captagon? What effects does it produce?

Captagon was a brand of a medicine which was produced in Germany in 1960, to treat depression, narcolepsy and attention deficit disorder. However, it was quickly banned in most countries around the world.

In the form of a small beige pill, its main ingredient is pseudoephedrine, a component often found in cold or flu medications. It works with other stimulants that They cause euphoria, increased arousal and physical and mental performance.

That’s why some call it “poor people’s cocaine”.

However, its side effects can be serious: In addition to generating dependence, its consumption can deteriorate cognitive functions and generate cardiovascular defects.

Furthermore, as explained in Deutsche Welle one of the main problems with this narcotic is that, in several cases, The pills are produced in illicit laboratories, so consumers risk consuming toxic chemicals.

According to WSJ, Some traffickers mix the drug with anesthetics, sedatives and caffeine and add toxic levels of zinc and nickel.

For more than two decades, Bulgarian criminal groups have taken “control” of the production of this dangerous drug. The Syrian war of 2011 as well as the complex situation in Lebanon led to immeasurable growth in its trade.

In this line, Syria would be the country which serves as an intermediary for trafficking : According to a Jordanian security official, Every year, medicines worth between $8 billion and $10 billion cross the border. from Syria.

Generally, The drugs are transported by “poor Syrians” who are convinced to transport the goods for $10,000 for each shipment. Smugglers hire trucks or women and children to hide the packages in their clothes and shoes.

Moreover, in the desert They use catapults to cross border walls and security drones and carrier pigeons to transport small doses of narcotics.

They also take advantage of going there in winter, to camouflage with snow and dust.

“Hezbollah helps the Syrian regime facilitate trafficking in areas under its control and secure the homes of drug traffickers in southern Syria” assured the manager.

For its part, Jordan, a crucial ally of the United States, would protect its border with Syria to stop drug and arms trafficking.

However, they reported that the clashes with the infiltrators – who are almost always armed – are so violent that they The soldiers adopted a “shoot to kill” policy.

According to the Washington think tank, Institute of New Lines , The global Captagon market is estimated at $5.7 billion. — a figure more than half that of the cocaine trade in Europe.

Of this totalthe Syrian Assad regime obtains an annual average of 2.4 billion dollars (based on data between 2020 and 2022). This would represent a quarter of your country’s GDP, according to the Observatory of Political and Economic Networks.

In addition, since the start of the war between Israel and Gaza, Captagon seizures on the Jordanian-Syrian border “quadrupled” as well as the sending of weapons.

“The Syrian regime is creating an example for exhausted and sanctioned states looking to make money, really good money. » said Caroline Rose, Captagon trade expert at the New Lines Institute.

This “desperate” attempt to improve the economy caused Syrian president to industrialize drug production this fuels the war in the Middle East and the crime that is rampant throughout the region.

“The regime continues to depend entirely on Captagón” said Col. Farid al-Qassem, a Syrian defector who fought in the civil war against Assad. “They can’t operate without these drugs. »

This is why the United States signed the Captagon law which requires the country to develop a strategy to dismantle the smuggling networks of this drug, in addition to establishing alliances for its compliance.

Although it has not sent troops to Jordan to fight traffickers, it has provided satellite-guided bombs to attack alleged drug leaders in Syrian territory, in addition to advising them on strategies such as interception of communications, use of surveillance sensors, etc.

According to Abdullah Boulad, CEO of The Balance and Director of Luxury Detox Clinics in Europe, The use of Captagon has doubled in recent years.

The doctor said WSJ that his patients are generally wealthy Gulf Arabs who, after studying or working in the West, They return to their region, where the laws are more restrictive, which leads them to lead an “unfulfilled life”.

This feeling would be what motivates them to try this narcotic.

On the other hand, in a region where there are constant wars and conflictssoldiers use it to be more alert and able to go longer hours without sleep as well as feeling more courageous in carrying out your operations.