A former official from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has issued a stark warning about an ongoing and aggressive campaign to inundate the region with Captagon, with Syria serving as the primary hub for its production.
Khaled al-Sallal, a former adviser at the Criminal Information Center for Drug Control in the Gulf Cooperation Council, shared these concerns during an interview with the newspaper “Gulf Online” on Thursday. According to Sallal, Syria has emerged as a pivotal center for manufacturing and promoting Captagon and various other drugs.
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He further emphasized that networks involved in the production and smuggling of Captagon are actively engaged in a relentless and systematic assault on countries within the region. The substantial quantities of Captagon recently seized in Gulf Cooperation Council countries serve as alarming evidence that the ultimate objective is to inflict harm on the citizens of the Gulf.
Sallal provided specific details regarding the routes through which Captagon finds its way into the Gulf. He explained that it typically leaves Syria either via land routes to Jordan and Lebanon and from there, it is transported to Beirut’s sea and airports. Alternatively, it may exit Syria through the port of Latakia on the Mediterranean coast.
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The shipments are distributed to multiple countries, including Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Greece, Italy, and France, as well as more distant locations such as Germany, Romania, and Malaysia, as reported by the Gulf official.
According to Sallal, these countries are not considered “important markets” for Captagon but rather serve as transit points on the route to Gulf countries, particularly Saudi Arabia.
It should be noted that the primary ingredient used in the production of Captagon pills is diethyl ether, with a significant portion of it entering from Turkey.
Sallal has confirmed the establishment of a unified Gulf working group aimed at combating drug-related issues, apprehending smugglers, and pursuing international legal action against them.
In recent years, numerous shipments of narcotics originating from Syria, especially Captagon pills, have been seized in several countries, particularly those neighbouring Syria and the Gulf states.
Furthermore, several investigations have provided evidence indicating that the Assad regime has profited billions of dollars from the illicit drug trade.
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.
