Syria's new government seizes 3 million Captagon pills in Aleppo

Syrian authorities seized approximately 3 million Captagon pills from a warehouse in northern Aleppo governorate on Friday, in the latest operation targeting the country’s booming drug trade. Security forces also arrested a suspected trafficker, state media reported.

The raid, carried out by the government's Narcotics Department and the Aleppo Security Directorate, comes as Syria’s transitional government steps up efforts to curb Captagon production and smuggling. The amphetamine-like stimulant has fueled a multi-billion-dollar trade across the region.

Why it matters: Syria has become a hub for Captagon production, and despite recent crackdowns, the trade continues to thrive. Last month, authorities reported clashes with drug dealers in Akkum, Hawaik, and other areas near the Lebanon border, seizing Captagon and hashish. Lt. Col. Muayyad al-Salameh of the new government’s border forces blamed gangs “affiliated with Hezbollah” for drug activity near the border, the official state news agency SANA reported at the time.

In January, Syrian authorities destroyed around 100 million seized Captagon pills. In December, they reported uncovering a drug factory linked to former commander Mahed al-Assad, brother of ousted President Bashar al-Assad.