GENEVA

The large-scale manufacturing of the illicit drug captagon in Syria has been disrupted after the ouster of the Assad regime, according to a new research brief released by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on Monday.

The brief, which presented preliminary findings of a broader UNODC report due in 2026, said Syrian authorities have dismantled 15 industrial-scale laboratories and 13 smaller storage facilities since December 2024. However, it added, captagon production previously observed outside Syria is likely continuing elsewhere in the Middle East.

The UNODC said it could not verify claims that production has relocated to other continents, such as Africa, but warned large stockpiles from earlier manufacturing could continue to supply regional trafficking networks for years. Before December 2024, daily captagon production in Syria may have reached millions of tablets, according to the brief.

Gulf countries remain the primary destination market, although signs of shortages have emerged in several countries, possibly due to increased interdiction, the agency said. Since December 2024, the UNODC has verified the seizure of at least 177 million captagon tablets, equivalent to around 30 tons, across the Arab region.

"Countries are collaborating, sharing intelligence and running joint operations, leading to record seizures in 2025," said UNODC Director for Operations Bo Mathiasen.

He said the trend showed that political will and international cooperation can disrupt complex illicit drug economies.

The agency warned that trafficking networks may shift toward methamphetamine and other synthetic drugs, urging stronger prevention and treatment measures alongside enforcement efforts.