The nerve stimulant has become extremely popular among the terrorists of the Islamic State in the last decade, and is still often used by some militant organizations in Iraq and Syria. Moreover, it took place in the Middle East different it has also been used in wars in the past, which is why it is also called a war drug.
Today, addiction to Captagon is a serious problem in the Arab states of the Gulf – especially among young Saudis. This is also proven by the fact that the anti-drug actions of the authorities of the Arab country are intensifying, and in the past few days, an attempt to smuggle more than one million Captagon tablets was foiled in the port of Duba, located in the northwest of the kingdom. The pills were found hidden in a shipment labeled “pepper and guava” that arrived in Saudi Arabia through the said port. Several people were arrested in the raid.
What is Captagon?
Captagon, trade name phenethylline, was developed in Germany in 1961 to treat a number of conditions, including childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression, and narcolepsy. Phenethylline is a combination of amphetamine, a central nervous system stimulant, and theophylline, a chemical related to caffeine, also known as a bronchodilator. By itself, theophylline is used to relieve the effects of asthma and other lung diseases by relaxing and opening the airways in the lungs.
But when the two chemicals are chemically linked, a psychostimulant is created that works faster than amphetamine on its own.
At first, Captagon was considered a miracle drug and was legally prescribed for about 20 years. However, in the 1980s, due to increasing evidence that it was addictive and could have many undesirable side effects, it was banned by health authorities worldwide. Users may experience several side effects, including depression, sleep deprivation, loss of appetite leading to malnutrition, blurred vision, difficulty breathing, irregular heartbeat, and gastrointestinal symptoms.
Western governments are worried
One of the main smuggling routes for Captagon is from Syria through Jordan to the Arabian Peninsula, and much of the Captagon entering Jordan passes through Syria’s southern border. European policy makers, on the other hand, are increasingly concerned that Captagon manufacturers and dealers, mainly based in Syria and Lebanon and suspected of being linked to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his Lebanese ally Hezbollah, are trying to open new markets outside the Middle East in response to to increasingly strict controls taking place in the region. Both the Syrian regime and Hezbollah are supported by Iran, which restored diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia last March.
According to some reports, Captagon has generated about $10 billion in business over the past three years, with most of that revenue going to groups and individuals linked to the Syrian president. British and US officials say the Captagon trade allows Bashar al-Assad – who in 2011 heavily sanctioned by the West for the bloody suppression of a popular uprising – generate revenue and retain the loyalty of its internal supporters.
Assad has denied that he or his government were in any way involved in the creation and trafficking of Captagon, but has said that the “flourishing” of the Syrian drug business was the fault of Europe and the United States for “bringing chaos” on the war-torn country in an attempt to overthrow him. with the support of willing opponents. European officials say Assad may be trying to export addiction and social tensions to countries he accuses of conspiring against him.
The Saudi situation
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health revealed that there are more than 200,000 drug addicts in the country. Although data on the use and users of Captagon is still incomplete, Saudi Arabia appears to be the source of most Captagon tablets in the Middle East, but the drug is also growing in popularity in other Gulf states. That’s what drugs are for spread getting better because it’s relatively cheap, selling for only $10-$20 a piece.
Its popularity, however, is surprising given that Saudi Arabia has strict laws regarding the import, manufacture, possession and use of drugs. According to this, traders and consumers can face prison terms, heavy fines and, if they are foreigners, deportation.
The desert Arab country has lifted certain social restrictions in recent years, but according to locals
the lives of Saudi youth are often characterized by boredom, which leads some of them to use drugs for recreation and entertainment.
Saudi authorities, however, said they were committed to tightening customs controls, stressing that they would remain vigilant in the fight against smuggling to ensure public safety.
There have been several drug-related arrests in the kingdom recently. The leadership of the Arab country is doing everything in order to suppress the use of illegal drugs, but the sometimes severe punishments that also affect consumers make it difficult for those suffering from addiction to recover from the crisis.
Captagon’s negative impact on the region’s stability is becoming increasingly apparent as it continues to provide a lucrative economic opportunity for armed actors and some civilians in a war-torn economic environment. As the intensity of the Syrian civil war decreases, the use and trafficking of this drug throughout the region increases, and it is likely that Syria will continue to function as its center. However, Captagon extends far beyond Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, and indeed into the Middle East.
The author is a senior researcher at the Eurasian Center of János Neumann University
(Cover image:
(Lynsey Addario/Getty Images)
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