





























© Getty Images
0 / 30 Fotos
Origins of Captagon
- Captagon, a brand name for fenethylline, was first synthesized in the '60s by a German pharmaceutical company as a treatment for ADHD and narcolepsy. It was banned due to its addictive properties.
© Getty Images
1 / 30 Fotos
Captagon's reemergence
- Despite its ban in the '80s, counterfeit versions of Captagon resurged, flooding illicit drug markets and becoming especially prominent in the Middle East.
© Getty Images
2 / 30 Fotos
What makes it addictive
- Captagon combines amphetamine and theophylline, creating a potent stimulant that produces euphoria, increased energy, and heightened focus, contributing to its widespread abuse.
© Getty Images
3 / 30 Fotos
Syria's role in Captagon production
- Syria became a global hub for Captagon production, with the Assad regime allegedly playing a central role in manufacturing and trafficking the drug.
© Getty Images
4 / 30 Fotos
Massive global impact
- Captagon is now a multi-billion-dollar industry, with its production concentrated in Syria and neighboring Lebanon, reaching markets across Europe, Asia, and Africa.
© Getty Images
5 / 30 Fotos
Exporting addiction
- The primary consumers of Captagon are in the Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, where it's particularly popular among young people.
© Getty Images
6 / 30 Fotos
Smuggling networks
- Traffickers smuggle Captagon through various routes, including Jordan, Iraq, and Turkey, often hidden in shipments of consumer goods or industrial equipment.
© Getty Images
7 / 30 Fotos
Impact on Gulf nations
- Captagon's use has led to addiction crises in Gulf countries, prompting governments to crack down on trafficking and strengthen border security.
© Getty Images
8 / 30 Fotos
Economic survival through drugs
- With the civil war and facing international sanctions, the Assad regime turned to Captagon manufacturing, generating billions in revenue and securing its hold on power despite economic isolation.
© Getty Images
9 / 30 Fotos
Assad's wealth from Captagon
- Maher al-Assad, Bashar's brother, is accused of masterminding the lucrative Captagon trade, which has become a vital financial lifeline for Syria's ruling elite.
© Getty Images
10 / 30 Fotos
State-sponsored drug empire
- As a result, the Captagon trade transformed into a vast, state-sponsored narcotics' empire, with the Assad regime and its allies controlling production, trafficking, and profits.
© Getty Images
11 / 30 Fotos
Jordan's struggle with smuggling
- Jordan faces major challenges as a transit country, with frequent clashes between its border forces and traffickers attempting to smuggle Captagon into the Gulf region.
© Getty Images
12 / 30 Fotos
Saudi Arabia's crackdown
- Saudi authorities have intensified efforts to intercept Captagon shipments, seizing millions of pills annually in an attempt to stem the tide of addiction.
© Getty Images
13 / 30 Fotos
Lebanon's role in the trade
- Lebanon plays a critical role in Captagon production and smuggling, with certain factions reportedly complicit in the drug trade for financial gain.
© Getty Images
14 / 30 Fotos
Captagon and militancy
- Armed groups in the region reportedly use Captagon to fund operations and fuel combatants, capitalizing on its profitability and stimulant effects.
© Getty Images
15 / 30 Fotos
Consequences for youth
- Captagon's euphoric effects have led to widespread abuse among youth in the Gulf, creating a growing public health crisis.
© Getty Images
16 / 30 Fotos
Regional stability at risk
- Captagon trafficking exacerbates regional instability, funding militant groups and straining relations between neighboring countries.
© Getty Images
17 / 30 Fotos
Methods of concealment
- Smugglers use ingenious methods to hide Captagon, embedding pills in hollowed fruits, machine parts, or even furniture to avoid detection.
© Getty Images
18 / 30 Fotos
Anti-trafficking efforts
- Countries like Jordan and Saudi Arabia have increased surveillance, border patrols, and interdiction efforts to combat Captagon trafficking.
© Getty Images
19 / 30 Fotos
Economic toll on smuggling countries
- Transit nations bear economic burdens, such as increased security costs and societal damage from the drug trade.
© Getty Images
20 / 30 Fotos
UN and global responses
- The United Nations and other international organizations have called for greater cooperation to address the Captagon trade and its global repercussions.
© Getty Images
21 / 30 Fotos
Expansion to Europe
- Captagon trafficking into Turkey and the Balkans highlights its growing presence in Europe, signaling the drug's expanding global reach beyond the Middle East.
© Getty Images
22 / 30 Fotos
Health risks of Captagon abuse
- Prolonged Captagon use leads to severe health issues, including heart damage, paranoia, psychosis, and long-term neurological effects.
© Shutterstock
23 / 30 Fotos
Captagon's role in war
- During Syria's civil war, combatants used Captagon to suppress fear and boost endurance, earning it the nickname "the jihadist drug."
© Getty Images
24 / 30 Fotos
Local economies
- In regions where it is produced, Captagon generates illicit employment, contributing to a shadow economy that undermines legitimate industries.
© Getty Images
25 / 30 Fotos
Political tool for Assad
- Experts argue that Assad used the Captagon trade as leverage in international negotiations, weaponizing the drug to pressure other nations.
© Getty Images
26 / 30 Fotos
Sanctions
- Countries like the UK and US have raised alarms over Captagon's production in Syria. In 2023, both nations imposed sanctions targeting individuals connected to the trade.
© Getty Images
27 / 30 Fotos
Efforts to counter the trade
- Hezbollah and Iranian-backed groups are accused of supporting Captagon production, fueling instability. The 2022, the US Captagon Act targeted this trade, addressing concerns about its global spread and addiction crisis.
© Getty Images
28 / 30 Fotos
Global action
- With Captagon's impact spreading beyond the Middle East, coordinated international efforts are needed to address its production, trafficking, and abuse effectively. Sources: (The Guardian) (CNN) (Al Jazeera) See also: Russia, Iran, China, and the West’s strategic influence on Syria
© Getty Images
29 / 30 Fotos
© Getty Images
0 / 30 Fotos
Origins of Captagon
- Captagon, a brand name for fenethylline, was first synthesized in the '60s by a German pharmaceutical company as a treatment for ADHD and narcolepsy. It was banned due to its addictive properties.
© Getty Images
1 / 30 Fotos
Captagon's reemergence
- Despite its ban in the '80s, counterfeit versions of Captagon resurged, flooding illicit drug markets and becoming especially prominent in the Middle East.
© Getty Images
2 / 30 Fotos
What makes it addictive
- Captagon combines amphetamine and theophylline, creating a potent stimulant that produces euphoria, increased energy, and heightened focus, contributing to its widespread abuse.
© Getty Images
3 / 30 Fotos
Syria's role in Captagon production
- Syria became a global hub for Captagon production, with the Assad regime allegedly playing a central role in manufacturing and trafficking the drug.
© Getty Images
4 / 30 Fotos
Massive global impact
- Captagon is now a multi-billion-dollar industry, with its production concentrated in Syria and neighboring Lebanon, reaching markets across Europe, Asia, and Africa.
© Getty Images
5 / 30 Fotos
Exporting addiction
- The primary consumers of Captagon are in the Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, where it's particularly popular among young people.
© Getty Images
6 / 30 Fotos
Smuggling networks
- Traffickers smuggle Captagon through various routes, including Jordan, Iraq, and Turkey, often hidden in shipments of consumer goods or industrial equipment.
© Getty Images
7 / 30 Fotos
Impact on Gulf nations
- Captagon's use has led to addiction crises in Gulf countries, prompting governments to crack down on trafficking and strengthen border security.
© Getty Images
8 / 30 Fotos
Economic survival through drugs
- With the civil war and facing international sanctions, the Assad regime turned to Captagon manufacturing, generating billions in revenue and securing its hold on power despite economic isolation.
© Getty Images
9 / 30 Fotos
Assad's wealth from Captagon
- Maher al-Assad, Bashar's brother, is accused of masterminding the lucrative Captagon trade, which has become a vital financial lifeline for Syria's ruling elite.
© Getty Images
10 / 30 Fotos
State-sponsored drug empire
- As a result, the Captagon trade transformed into a vast, state-sponsored narcotics' empire, with the Assad regime and its allies controlling production, trafficking, and profits.
© Getty Images
11 / 30 Fotos
Jordan's struggle with smuggling
- Jordan faces major challenges as a transit country, with frequent clashes between its border forces and traffickers attempting to smuggle Captagon into the Gulf region.
© Getty Images
12 / 30 Fotos
Saudi Arabia's crackdown
- Saudi authorities have intensified efforts to intercept Captagon shipments, seizing millions of pills annually in an attempt to stem the tide of addiction.
© Getty Images
13 / 30 Fotos
Lebanon's role in the trade
- Lebanon plays a critical role in Captagon production and smuggling, with certain factions reportedly complicit in the drug trade for financial gain.
© Getty Images
14 / 30 Fotos
Captagon and militancy
- Armed groups in the region reportedly use Captagon to fund operations and fuel combatants, capitalizing on its profitability and stimulant effects.
© Getty Images
15 / 30 Fotos
Consequences for youth
- Captagon's euphoric effects have led to widespread abuse among youth in the Gulf, creating a growing public health crisis.
© Getty Images
16 / 30 Fotos
Regional stability at risk
- Captagon trafficking exacerbates regional instability, funding militant groups and straining relations between neighboring countries.
© Getty Images
17 / 30 Fotos
Methods of concealment
- Smugglers use ingenious methods to hide Captagon, embedding pills in hollowed fruits, machine parts, or even furniture to avoid detection.
© Getty Images
18 / 30 Fotos
Anti-trafficking efforts
- Countries like Jordan and Saudi Arabia have increased surveillance, border patrols, and interdiction efforts to combat Captagon trafficking.
© Getty Images
19 / 30 Fotos
Economic toll on smuggling countries
- Transit nations bear economic burdens, such as increased security costs and societal damage from the drug trade.
© Getty Images
20 / 30 Fotos
UN and global responses
- The United Nations and other international organizations have called for greater cooperation to address the Captagon trade and its global repercussions.
© Getty Images
21 / 30 Fotos
Expansion to Europe
- Captagon trafficking into Turkey and the Balkans highlights its growing presence in Europe, signaling the drug's expanding global reach beyond the Middle East.
© Getty Images
22 / 30 Fotos
Health risks of Captagon abuse
- Prolonged Captagon use leads to severe health issues, including heart damage, paranoia, psychosis, and long-term neurological effects.
© Shutterstock
23 / 30 Fotos
Captagon's role in war
- During Syria's civil war, combatants used Captagon to suppress fear and boost endurance, earning it the nickname "the jihadist drug."
© Getty Images
24 / 30 Fotos
Local economies
- In regions where it is produced, Captagon generates illicit employment, contributing to a shadow economy that undermines legitimate industries.
© Getty Images
25 / 30 Fotos
Political tool for Assad
- Experts argue that Assad used the Captagon trade as leverage in international negotiations, weaponizing the drug to pressure other nations.
© Getty Images
26 / 30 Fotos
Sanctions
- Countries like the UK and US have raised alarms over Captagon's production in Syria. In 2023, both nations imposed sanctions targeting individuals connected to the trade.
© Getty Images
27 / 30 Fotos
Efforts to counter the trade
- Hezbollah and Iranian-backed groups are accused of supporting Captagon production, fueling instability. The 2022, the US Captagon Act targeted this trade, addressing concerns about its global spread and addiction crisis.
© Getty Images
28 / 30 Fotos
Global action
- With Captagon's impact spreading beyond the Middle East, coordinated international efforts are needed to address its production, trafficking, and abuse effectively. Sources: (The Guardian) (CNN) (Al Jazeera) See also: Russia, Iran, China, and the West’s strategic influence on Syria
© Getty Images
29 / 30 Fotos
Captagon explained: the highly addictive drug linked to Syria
The Assad regime's involvement became crucial to sustaining its power and wealth
© Getty Images
Four days after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, opposition fighters in Damascus uncovered large stashes of Captagon, a powerful amphetamine long mass-produced in Syria. Known for its highly addictive properties, Captagon became one of the country's most lucrative illicit exports, with the Assad regime's involvement in its production and trafficking. But what exactly is this drug and why has it played such a central role in Syria's relations with its neighbors in recent years?
Click on to find out.
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU




































MOST READ
- Last Hour
- Last Day
- Last Week