The Syria-Jordan border is the latest flashpoint in the Middle East’s escalating captagon drug crisis. Captagon, an amphetamine-like substance, is pervasive across social classes, benefiting everyone from taxi drivers and students to militia fighters. This booming trade, valued at around $5.7 billion globally, significantly funds Iran-backed militias like Hezbollah and bolsters the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, despite his denials of involvement. Assad’s regime is considered one of the largest players in this illicit market, reportedly earning $2.4 billion annually from the trade. According to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, ‘The Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad and its allies have leveraged Captagon trafficking as a means of exerting pressure on the Gulf states, notably Saudi Arabia, to reintegrate Syria into the Arab world.'”

The U.S. Treasury has sanctioned individuals linked to captagon production and trafficking, highlighting the regime and Hezbollah’s complicity. Jordan, a key U.S. ally, has ramped up its military presence to combat the flow of drugs and arms across its border. The conflict in Gaza has intensified the issue, with seizures of captagon on the Jordanian-Syrian border increasing fourfold, raising concerns about further Iranian arms smuggling to Palestinian factions. As noted by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, ‘Monday’s strikes are a rare example of Jordanian action inside Syria against the Assad-backed narcotics trade, especially the trafficking of Captagon, an amphetamine-like drug.’ This drug trade poses a significant threat to regional stability, worrying U.S. officials about its broader implications.

The captagon trade along the Syria-Jordan border is causing serious problems for the region. As the trade grows, governments are facing greater challenges in dealing with both the health risks and the wider security issues.

Source: Wall Street Journal