Al-Sharaa dismantles Assad’s 'shadow empire' in Syria, but Captagon networks survive

On June 26, the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Syria, under President Ahmed al-Sharaa, launched new initiatives to combat the country’s drug industry, which thrived under former President Bashar Assad. The Anti-Narcotics Directorate, an official body, launched social media accounts and a video titled “Captagon: The fall of the shadow empire,” aiming to showcase efforts to dismantle the drug network. Al-Sharaa stated that Syria inherited a “heavy legacy of drug production and trafficking from the previous regime” and that declaring a “comprehensive war on this epidemic” is a top priority. While the new government presents its anti-drug activity as a success, the complex network built by the Assad family, particularly the Captagon trade, has not been fully dismantled. Syria is also seeking to rebuild regional ties and international legitimacy by demonstrating its commitment to combating drug trafficking, cooperating with neighboring countries like Jordan, which has been significantly affected by smuggling and has conducted airstrikes in Syria to counter the trade.