Syrian rebels have discovered a secret production site for the ‘poor’s cocaine’: videos from the Assad regime’s ‘drug kitchen’ have since been making the rounds on social media – providing insight into the means by which the Assad family achieves its luxury-funded war.
A video posted to social media on Wednesday claims to show an alleged warehouse in Syria filled with tons of Captagon pills. The large building is reportedly on the site of a military unit near Damascus commanded by Assad’s brother Maher. However, the exact location of the building has not yet been independently verified.
“One of the largest production facilities”
A voice in the video notes that this is “one of the largest production facilities for Captagon pills.” You see large quantities of tablets, some of which are just lying on the floor, and equipment for the production of medicines.
If this finding is independently proven, it would strengthen claims by the United States and other countries that the Assad regime was actively involved in exporting the drug.
Over the years, the Assad regime in Syria is said to have built up one of the most lucrative and dangerous drug markets in the world. Known as the ‘poor man’s cocaine’, Captagon is said to have made Bashar al-Assad’s government billions a year and made Syria a global hub for the drug’s exports.
Part of the income flowed directly to the war chest
Captagon, based on the Mexican drug cartels, has long been considered the backbone of Assad’s “narco-state.” In 2021, Syria is said to have earned more than 5 billion dollars (about 4.6 billion euros) from exporting the drug.
The proceeds flowed directly into the regime’s war chest, controlled by Assad’s brother Maher al-Assad and his Fourth Armored Division – also known as the ‘Captagon Division’. This coordinated production and smuggling networks and imported raw materials from neighboring countries such as Iraq. But the clan could also finance the immense luxury with it.
The drug swamp also spread across Europe
The drug reached not only the Middle East, but also Europe. In 2020, 84 million counterfeit Captagon pills were seized in Italy – a discovery worth a billion euros. The Gulf states also suffered heavily from the illicit trade, with Saudi Arabia responsible for half of all global Captagon seizures between 2012 and 2021.
The fall of Assad causes production to collapse
The decline in Captagon production began with the increasing isolation of the Assad regime. The capture of Syrian production sites by Islamist rebels and the flight of the Assad family to Russia would have greatly limited production capabilities. Western and Arab intelligence sources report that production has collapsed by as much as 90 percent.
Nevertheless, new actors could fill the void: militias loyal to Iran, especially in Iraq and Lebanon, could resume production to secure revenue for their activities, according to security experts.
Captagon a permanent threat
While the Assad era in Syria may be coming to an end, Captagon remains a threat. Experts warn of a possible revival of production by new players as the war and economic crises in the region continue to fuel the drug trade.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
