09/19/2023 – 10:32
Nicknamed “poor man’s cocaine”, the medicine for attention deficit disorder was banned in most countries in 1986. But it is emerging as the favorite party drug among young people in the Middle East and North Africa. Captagon, known as “poor man’s cocaine”, poor”, is emerging as the drug of choice for young people in the Middle East and North Africa.
The drug was classified as illegal in 1986 by most countries in the world and left the pharmaceutical market. However, an illicit version of Captagon emerged in Eastern Europe and the Middle East in the early 2000s.
What is a Captagon?
Captagon is a synthetic drug, originally manufactured in Germany to treat attention deficit disorders. Today its use is more widespread among young people in the Middle East, and is often consumed at parties.
Reports also suggest that fighters in the Syrian conflict often use the drug to increase combat performance and reduce fatigue.
The pill contains fenethylline, a synthetic amphetamine, caffeine and other stimulants. Fenethylline is metabolized by the body into two molecules: amphetamine and theophylline, both stimulants.
What degree of dependence does Captagon generate?
Its effects on the nervous system are similar to those of amphetamine. As a psychostimulant, Captagon can cause euphoria and increased alertness and physical and mental performance.
However, intense use involves risks of compromising cognitive functions and cardiovascular problems. The drug can also cause dependence.
A relevant problem is that some of the pills being produced in illicit laboratories contain large amounts of fenethylline. Furthermore, currently their composition can vary greatly, and lack of knowledge increases the risk that they contain toxic chemical substances.
Where is Captagon manufactured?
Syria became the largest producer and exporter of Captagon in the 2010s. Analysts began calling it the narcostate of the Middle East. A statement from the UK government estimated that 80% of the world’s capitagon is now produced in Syria.
Its popularity soared in the country following the 2011 Arab Spring protests. Reports from major media outlets such as the BBC revealed how the Syrian pharmaceutical industry facilitates all stages of Captagon production and smuggling.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad denies any organized effort by his government to profit from the drug. But Captagon has become an economic lifeline for the country, which has been subject to severe international sanctions since the start of the civil war in 2011.
In 2021 alone, the drug trade reached an estimated value of 5.7 billion dollars in Syria. It is predominantly exported to Gulf countries and neighboring Iraq and Jordan, often hidden in products such as grains and fruit. It is said that Hezbollah in Lebanon, a close ally of the Assad regime, is also a major manufacturer of the drug.
Where is Captagon exported to?
Captagon has become a major concern for Middle Eastern countries such as Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Syria’s neighbors have strict anti-drug laws, with severe penalties for anyone caught trafficking drugs. However, Captagon is still smuggled in large quantities from Syria and Lebanon.
Jordan is a key player in the fight to curb illegal trade. The country’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi announced in July that more than 65 million Captagon tablets had been seized over the past two years.
The Jordanian Army has also reportedly instituted a “shoot to kill” policy against drug traffickers along its border with Syria. In August 2022, Saudi authorities seized more than 46 million tablets that were being trafficked in a shipment of flour passing through the dry port of Riyadh.
Is Captagon spreading to other places?
There are no reliable statistics on the use of Captagon, and authorities around the world have little information about it. However, there is growing concern that it is becoming an increasing problem in European countries as well.
A new report from the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) suggests that the European Union (EU) could become an important area for Captagon trafficking.
The report states that around 127 million tablets (1,773 kilograms) were seized by EU member countries from 2018 to 2023. The largest seizure, of 84 million tablets, occurred in Salerno, Italy, in 2020.
Captagon is also being produced in the EU, mainly in illegal laboratories in the Netherlands, mainly from amphetamine powder. The EMCDDA report also highlights the need for coordinated EU action to combat Captagon production in the EU and prevent the bloc from being used as a trafficking zone.
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