UK and US Slam Sanctions on Assad’s $57bn Captagon Empire
The UK and US have hit the Assad regime where it hurts, slapping sanctions on the kingpins behind the booming $57 billion captagon drug trade. This deadly amphetamine, wildly popular across the Middle East, is fueling Syria’s war economy and chaos across the region.
How Captagon Powers Assad’s War Machine
Captagon, an addictive amphetamine, sees 80% of the world’s supply churned out in Syria. Multi-billion dollar shipments flood out of regime-controlled hubs like the Port of Latakia. Even President Bashar al-Assad’s brother, Maher al-Assad, commands the army units behind production and distribution.
This drug trade rakes in cash worth three times that of Mexico’s cartels combined. It lines the pockets of Assad’s inner circle, militias, and warlords — while ordinary Syrians suffer grinding poverty and brutal repression.
Sanctions Target Assad’s Goons and Hezbollah Allies
Today’s coordinated UK-US sanctions freeze assets and impose travel bans on top regime officials, captagon manufacturers, militia chiefs, and key Hezbollah associates pushing the drug across the Middle East.
Lord Tariq Ahmad, UK Minister of State for the Middle East, blasted the regime:
“The Assad regime is using the profits from the captagon trade to continue their campaign of terror on the Syrian people.
The UK and US will keep holding the regime to account for brutally repressing the Syrian people and fuelling instability across the Middle East.”
The crackdown targets Syrian officials, businessmen, and relatives of Assad, exposing their grip on a trade that worsens addiction and regional turmoil.
Meet the Big Names on the Sanctions List
- Abdellatif Hamid: Industrialist using factories to package captagon; linked to the 2020 drug bust in Italy.
- Imad Abu Zureiq: Southern Syria militia leader involved in drug smuggling, assassinations, and kidnappings.
- Mustafa Al Masalmeh: Militia chief tied to drug production and regime opposer assassinations.
- Taher Al Kayali: Business tycoon linked to multiple European captagon seizures.
- Amer Khiti: Politician controlling businesses aiding drug production and smuggling.
- Hassan Muhammad Daqqou: Dubbed the ‘king’ of captagon, linked to seizures from the Middle East to Southeast Asia; Hezbollah associate.
- Mohammed Shalish: Shipping operator tied to captagon shipments from Latakia port.
- Raji Falhout: Militia leader in Sweida facilitating drug production at his HQ.
- Samer Kamal Al Asad: Assad’s relative, major player in captagon manufacturing.
- Waseem Badia Al Asad: Assad family strongman aiding production and smuggling.
- Noah Zaiter: Notorious smuggler linked to Assad regime and Hezbollah.
UK’s Pledge to Syr ia
The UK promises continued backing for the Syrian people, both in seeking justice and delivering humanitarian aid. To date, Britain has handed over £3.8 billion in support — its largest ever response to a single crisis.
