Assad regime created ‘drug empire’ on Syria’s ruins
Dec 6, 2021
The Assad regime’s illegal drug industry built on the ashes of a decade of civil war has now become a multibillion-dollar operation, according to the New York Times (NYT) report “On Syria’s Ruins, a Drug Empire Flourishes.”
The main product produced in the country is Captagon, which has allegedly become the country’s “most valuable export, far surpassing its legal products.” A synthetic drug, captagon is made from amphetamine fenethylline, is cheap to produce and its composition includes widely available legal substances.
Syria has been ravaged by civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protesters.
