Discovery in military base proves: Assad funded regime with party drugs

damascus - Recent discovery in Syria sheds light on Assad's alleged involvement in captagon trade to support his regime economically.

A video has emerged on social media showing a warehouse in Syria stacked with captagon, the amphetamine pills that are popular as party drugs in the Middle East. The large stash of drugs was reportedly found in a military headquarters near Damascus, where Bashar al-Assad's brother, Maher, was in charge.

The regime of Assad has long been suspected of being actively involved in the production and distribution of captagon. The alleged discoveries on the military airbase further tarnish Assad's regime in the Middle East.

Captagon, also known as fenethylline, was initially developed for ADHD patients. However, due to its addictive nature, the pill was banned by the World Health Organization. With a relatively low street value and effects such as increased energy, better stamina, and reduced appetite, captagon is sometimes referred to as the "cocaine of the poor."

The annual trade in the party drug is estimated to be worth billions of dollars. The Assad regime has been suspected of being at the center of this multibillion-dollar trade. Last year, the US Treasury Department sanctioned a nephew of Assad and a close associate of Maher al-Assad for their alleged involvement in the captagon trade.

According to reports, nearly $6 billion worth of captagon produced in Syria was seized abroad in 2021, highlighting the critical role of the drug trade in generating revenue for the Assad regime, which has been crippled by US sanctions.

Syrian captagon has also been intercepted in the port of Antwerp, originating from areas under Assad's control.