The Aachen Regional Court in Germany has begun the trial of four individuals accused of dealing in Captagon, facing potential sentences of up to 15 years in prison.
According to the German website Merkur, the four defendants are Syrians aged between 33 and 46, including two with German citizenship. They are suspected of forming a drug trafficking ring.
The trial follows the seizure of a significant quantity of drugs in December 2023. The investigation began after several kilograms of Captagon were intercepted at the Cologne-Bonn and Leipzig airports, leading investigators to the German city of Aachen.
According to Aussiedlerbote, authorities discovered 480 kilograms of Captagon hidden in garages and buried under sand, with an estimated street value of about 58 million euros.
The exact origin of the Captagon is unclear, but smuggling operations reportedly began in 2021. The drugs may have been smuggled through air shipments from countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, and Australia. The Captagon was concealed within legal goods, including electric heaters, air purifiers, and scented candles.
In September 2023, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) published a report warning that Europe could become a significant hub for Captagon shipments destined for the Middle East.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
