Syrian authorities have seized 800,000 captagon pills and 60 kilograms of cannabis in the provinces of Homs and Deir Ezzor, the Interior Ministry announced. The operation was carried out by the Syrian Drug Enforcement Administration in coordination with Iraq’s General Directorate for Narcotics Affairs and Psychotropic Substances, resulting in the arrest of several suspects who were part of a cross-border criminal gang.
According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the drugs were intended for smuggling and distribution across the region. This seizure is part of a series of coordinated operations between Syrian and Iraqi authorities to combat drug trafficking networks since the fall of former President Bashar Assad’s regime in December 2024.
Previous Operations
In April, authorities arrested eight individuals, including one woman, in the countryside of Damascus and Homs, confiscating 1.73 million captagon pills. Under Assad’s rule, Syria had become a major hub for the production and distribution of captagon, a highly addictive amphetamine-type stimulant, while the government largely ignored concerns from neighboring countries about the drug’s impact on regional stability.
Regional Impact
The ongoing crackdown reflects a shift in policy since the regime change, with new authorities prioritizing the dismantling of drug networks that flourished under the previous government. The collaboration with Iraq underscores a unified effort to stem the flow of illegal narcotics in the Middle East.
