In a significant blow to regional drug trafficking networks, Syrian authorities announced on Thursday the successful seizure of more than 9 million Captagon pills that were being prepared for smuggling into neighboring Türkiye. The large-scale operation was the result of over a month of coordinated surveillance and intelligence efforts between Syrian and Turkish authorities.
According to a statement issued by the Syrian Ministry of Interior, the joint anti-narcotics operation involved close cooperation between the Syrian Anti-Narcotics Department and its Turkish counterpart, leading to the confiscation of the illicit shipment and the arrest of several individuals involved, according to Al-Rai daily.
The Ministry confirmed that members of the trafficking cell were apprehended in the northern city of Aleppo and are currently under investigation.
“This operation is the culmination of sustained efforts over the past month to dismantle a major drug smuggling ring operating between Syria and Türkiye,” the statement read.
The Ministry further reiterated its commitment to continuing its crackdown on drug traffickers and eradicating the widespread threat of narcotics in the region, particularly Captagon—an amphetamine-based substance that has become a growing concern in the Middle East.
