In the drug kitchens of the Assad regime it was produced, among other things, to help the dictator acquire even more wealth: Captagon, the ‘cocaine of the poor’, the jihadist drug of Hamas. Syria’s new rulers have now burned about a million pills and tons of other addictive substances.
A journalist from the AFP news agency saw drugs being set on fire in the courtyard of a building of the former Syrian security apparatus in the capital Damascus. “We found a large quantity of Captagon, about a million pills,” said a representative of the new rulers.
Also cannabis and other addictive substances
The discovery of the drug involved a stash of cannabis, the painkiller Tramadol and about 50 sachets of pink Captagon pills, the AFP journalist noted.
“Protect Syrian society”
Another member of the newly installed security forces said the stash of drugs and alcohol was discovered during an inspection of the neighborhood where deposed leader Bashar al-Assad’s security apparatus had its offices. The drugs and alcohol were destroyed to “protect Syrian society” and to shut down smuggling routes used for the Assad family’s business activities.
The same security forces official also said it was not the first time seized drug supplies had been destroyed. The new security forces discovered drug warehouses and laboratories in other places and “destroyed them appropriately.”
The booming trade in the amphetamine-like Captagon had turned Syria into the world’s largest drug state under Assad, who was overthrown on December 8. Captagon was by far Syria’s most important export, surpassing all legal exports, AFP research based on official data from 2022 showed. Military commander Maher al-Assad, brother of the former head of state, was considered the driving force behind the Captagon -trade.
Largest market Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is the largest market in the Middle East. There, Captagon is the party drug of the wealthy elite and much less taboo than alcohol. But even simple workers use it to get excited and cope with the hellish pace of work. Captagon was originally used as a medication for narcolepsy and attention disorders.
Nearly two and a half weeks ago, fighters from the Islamist militia Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allied groups took the capital Damascus, ending the decades-long rule of the Assad family. Since then, the new rulers have been trying to reorganize state structures and rebuild the country, which was badly damaged by the nearly fourteen-year civil war.
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.
