Iraq Seizes First Factory for Captagon Production in the Country
An official from the Iraqi Ministry of Interior considers the discovery of a factory producing Captagon drugs in the border province of Muthanna, near Saudi Arabia, as “an attempt by some to have the manufacturing process within the country, as these pills mostly come from outside Iraq”
Iraqi authorities announced on Sunday the seizure of a Captagon production factory in the southern part of the country, marking a precedent in a country that has become a transit route for smuggling these controlled substances in recent years.
Saad Maan, the Director of Relations and Media at the Ministry of Interior, stated in a short video posted on social media, “Today, perhaps for the first time, a factory for producing narcotics, especially Captagon, has been dismantled.”
This development comes at a time when Gulf countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, are trying to curb the smuggling of Captagon pills from Syria and Lebanon into their territories. It also indicates the widening scope of the smuggling route to include Iraq, drawing the path of this prohibited cross-border trade.
The announcement of dismantling this factory coincides with the visit of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani to Damascus, where he discussed several issues, including enhancing efforts to combat drug trafficking, with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The timing of this announcement seems calculated and carries political dimensions related to Al-Sudani’s visit to Damascus. It gives a stronger impetus to the efforts to strengthen Iraqi-Syrian relations and outlines a broader program of expanding bilateral security cooperation, particularly in border areas where elements of the Islamic State (ISIS) remain hidden.
Saad Maan, the Director of Relations and Media at the Ministry of Interior, stated in a short video posted on social media, “Today, perhaps for the first time, a factory for producing narcotics, especially Captagon, has been dismantled.”
Iraq, which shares borders with Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait, is considered a transit route for smuggling these pills and drugs in general. However, in recent years, the rate of drug use has increased significantly.
The Iraqi Ministry of Interior stated in a press release on Sunday that the seized factory is located in Muthanna, a southern border province near Saudi Arabia. The geographical location of the factory indicates a potential route for the distribution of Captagon.
The Iraqi Ministry of Interior clarified that “the factory was prepared for the production of Captagon pills with raw materials estimated at twenty-seven and a half kilograms, along with the special stamps for the narcotics pills.”
Gulf countries, especially Saudi Arabia, are the primary destination for Captagon pills, which are mainly smuggled from Syria and the border strip with Lebanon. The trafficking of these drugs has become a lucrative trade estimated at more than ten billion dollars.
Major General Saad Maan described the Muthanna factory as “an attempt by some to have the manufacturing process within the country because we mostly know that these pills come from outside Iraq.”
On Friday, the Iraqi Directorate of Drug Control announced the dismantling of an “international drug trafficking network” and the arrest of three of its members, seizing “two million Captagon pills” in the Muthanna Governorate.
According to Major General Maan, “Iraq’s war against drugs has achieved positive results, and the efforts made by the anti-narcotics fighters in recent days have achieved commendable results, including the seizure of large quantities of drugs and the arrest of key traffickers.” He pledged that “Iraq will prevail in its war against drugs.”
Captagon pills are easy to manufacture and are classified by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime as “a type of stimulant amphetamine,” typically a combination of amphetamines, caffeine, and other substances.
In addition to its border regions with its western neighbor Syria, southern regions of Iraq adjacent to the eastern neighbor Iran also serve as an important gateway for drug smuggling, especially crystal meth.
In November of last year, the Iraqi National Security Agency announced the arrest of a man who was manufacturing crystal meth in Iraq. The agency stated that the detainee “learned the manufacturing process in one of the countries and then transferred the experience to Iraq, where he produced large quantities of crystal meth.”
The Saudi authorities have foiled several attempts to smuggle Captagon pills into their territory, with the source being either Syria or Lebanon, concealed in fruit shipments. This security threat was one of the reasons behind a previous diplomatic crisis between Beirut and Riyadh, leading to a halt in imports from Lebanese territory.
