Syria, Iraq dismantle cross-border drug network; 800,000 Captagon seized

Joint operations dismantle international smuggling cell

On June 14, Syria’s Interior Ministry said it carried out simultaneous raids, in coordination with Iraq’s General Directorate of Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances, that targeted an organised cross-border drug-smuggling network operating in Homs and Deir Ezzor. Authorities arrested several suspects and seized about 800,000 Captagon pills and 60 kilograms of hashish that were allegedly prepared for smuggling and distribution.

Ongoing Baghdad‑Damascus cooperation amid wider Captagon challenge

The ministry framed the operation as part of sustained intelligence and field coordination with Baghdad to disrupt supply lines of international traffickers. It follows a series of joint seizures earlier this year and in 2025 — including operations that yielded roughly 1 million and 1.73 million Captagon pills and other large hauls — and aligns with the Syrian government’s pledge to combat the trade. The pattern underscores UN findings that, despite changes in regime infrastructure, Syria remains a regional hub with residual stockpiles and active smuggling networks, making Captagon trafficking a persistent security problem, as reported by Enab Baladi