Syrian authorities confiscate Captagon shipment in Aleppo
ALEPPO, Syria (North Press) – The Syrian government’s Anti-Narcotic Division confiscated on Monday a truck loaded with about one million Captagon pills in the Halab al-Jadida neighborhood, in western Aleppo city, an exclusive source told North Press.
The source explained that the Division received information days earlier about the path of the truck; it entered from the western side of the city, carrying around 166 kg of Captagon pills from the town of al-Zahraa, 25 km north of Aleppo, which is under the control of the Lebanese Hezbollah.
The source stressed, “The security apparatuses have been working for a while on following up on wanted individuals, especially those who trade and deal with narcotics inside and outside the city.”
Days earlier, the authorities arrested a group of wanted individuals involved in the drug trade and human trafficking in the Jamiyat al-Zahraa neighborhood, following clashes that lasted for hours.
Syria’s Captagon trade emerged during the war years. The U.S. Treasury Department has estimated that the Syrian government generates more than $5 million annually from this business.
The narcotic trade was one of the key issues discussed by Arab state officials with Damascus during recent rapprochement talks.