(Adnkronos) – The Syrian Interior Ministry announced that it had seized approximately 11 million captagon pills from neighboring Lebanon, in one of the largest operations of its kind since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad. In a statement, the Syrian institution declared that the anti-drug section of Homs province found the drug in a vehicle coming from the neighboring country, adding that authorities are continuing to conduct the necessary investigations to discover the identity of those involved and identify the criminal networks linked to the operation.
Captagon, a synthetic drug similar to amphetamines, became Syria’s main export during the civil war that broke out in 2011, and its trade represented a key source of funding for the government of former President Assad. Since his fall last December, the new authorities led by President Ahmed Al-Sharaa have reported numerous significant captagon seizures across the country. However, neighboring countries continue to report the interception of large shipments.
Hezbollah, a Lebanese force allied with the exiled Assad, has also been accused of using the captagon trade to finance its activities. In September, the Lebanese army announced the seizure of 64 million pills in the east of the country, one of the largest operations against the illegal stimulant. The synthetic drug has flooded the region, and neighboring countries occasionally announce new seizures, calling on Lebanon and Syria to intensify efforts to combat its trafficking.
