DAMASCUS, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Syrian authorities seized more than 9 million Captagon pills recently in a joint anti-narcotics operation with Türkiye, Syria's state-run SANA news agency reported on Thursday.
The report quoted Director of Syria's Anti-Narcotics Department Khaled Eid as saying that some 5 million of the confiscated pills had already been smuggled into Türkiye, while the remaining were en route for trafficking.
During the month-long operation, the starting time of which was not mentioned, a drug-smuggling network operating between Syria and Türkiye was dismantled, with several suspects being arrested for further investigation.
Captagon, the trademark name for the synthetic stimulant fenethylline, was initially developed in the 1960s to treat conditions such as hyperactivity, narcolepsy, and depression. Due to its high potential for addiction, it was later banned in most countries during the 1980s.
Syrian authorities have reiterated their commitment to combating drug trafficking and have urged citizens to assist by reporting any suspicious activities. ■
