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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-61040359
Jordan's Undeclared War Against Syria Drug Traffickers
(BBC News) Yolande Knell - Syria's transformation into a narco-state is sowing new seeds of misery across the region. Al-Rashid Hospital in Amman treats addicts from Jordan and Gulf Arab states where the amphetamine Captagon - cheaply manufactured in Syria and Lebanon - has become the drug of choice. Captagon has turned into a multi-billion-dollar industry in Syria, worth far more than any legal exports. Reports have linked powerful figures in business and the military to its manufacturing and distribution. "The areas in which Captagon production is most pronounced are those controlled by the Assad regime and close familial relations of the regime," says Ian Larson, a Syria analyst for the Center for Operational Analysis and Research (COAR) in Cyprus. Since the start of 2022, the Jordanian army has intercepted 17 million Captagon pills. 15.5 million Captagon pills were picked up in 2021.