Illicit “captagon” manufacturing disrupted following regime change in Syria, says new UNODC research brief

One year after the regime change in Syria, the large-scale manufacturing of "captagon" has been disrupted, according to a new research brief by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) publishing preliminary findings of a wider report to be released in 2026 about the evolution of the synthetic drug market in the Arab countries.

Since December 2024 Syria has dismantled 15 industrial-level laboratories and 13 smaller facilities for storage, but manufacturing of "captagon" observed in the past outside of the country is likely continuing in the Middle East. The brief, however, could not verify the widely held assumption that some of the previous Illicit production in Syria may have relocated to other continents like Africa.

Before December 2024, the daily production of "captagon" in Syria could have been millions of tablets. Stocks from such previous production could sustain supply for a couple of years and feeding ongoing trafficking across the region if not intercepted.

Gulf countries continue to be the primary destination market for Captagon, there are, however, signs of "captagon" shortages in several destination markets, which might be a result of increased interdiction during the past year. While data on seizures is still being gathered and submitted by countries, since December 2024, UNODC could verify data of a minimum of 177 million tablets (equivalent to 30 tons) that have been intercepted across the Arab region.

At the same time, traffickers continue to explore new routes and are now also using a set of diversion and repackaging points, including through Western and Central Europe and North Africa.

There are now renewed efforts towards regional cooperation against Captagon production and trafficking, including through shared intelligence and coordinated responses. As a result, interdiction operations have surged in 2025, with several of the year's largest seizures achieved through joint efforts.

"While the drug market expanded in recent years it divided the region, but the need for action is now bringing it together," said Bo Mathiasen, UNODC Director for Operations, adding that "countries are collaborating, sharing intelligence and running joint operations, leading to record seizures in 2025." "This demonstrates that political will and international cooperation can disrupt even the most complex illicit criminal economies," Mr. Mathiasen concluded.

The ongoing disruption of manufacturing and trafficking, however, may shift traffickers and people who use drugs toward methamphetamine and other synthetic drugs, accelerating their expansion across the region.

The brief, therefore, advocates for a comprehensive approach including drug prevention, treatment and recovery systems based on scientific evidence to be strengthened in the region, in parallel with continued enforcement and interdiction efforts.

The research brief is available here: link