Jordanian official says Captagon seizures on track to double this year
The drug is being smuggled from Syria.
The Captagon trade is increasing in Jordan, fueled by more advanced smuggling, the Syrian military, a poor economy and more, an official said today.
The New Lines Institute in Washington hosted a conference today on the amphetamine drug that is widely used throughout the Middle East. Raad Elfawair of the Jordanian embassy and Dora Catutti from the French embassy spoke on a panel hosted by the institute’s Caroline Rose about the regional implications of Captagon.
The drug gained notoriety in the mid-2010s for its use and trade by Islamic State fighters. Elfawair said that in 2021, Jordanian authorities seized 16 million Captagon pills. Just five months into 2022, they have seized 20 million pills.
The diplomat said that some elements of Syrian government forces are helping to smuggle Captagon into the kingdom. “We are witnessing recently groups becoming well organized, supported by indisciplined members of the Syrian army,” he said.
