BRIEF: Cross-Border Smuggling After the Regime&#8217;s Collapse

Brief

BRIEF: Cross-Border Smuggling After the Regime’s Collapse

April 24, 2025

The collapse of the Assad regime in Syria has precipitated the end of the industrial-scale narcotics trafficking operation run by ...

Narcotics officers under Syria’s interim Ministry of Interior destroy Captagon pills seized during a raid of the 4th Division’s headquarters. (Photo: Levant 24)

Brief

BRIEF: Arms & Drug Smuggling in Syria After Assad

January 29, 2025

While the industrial-scale drug trade of the Bashar al-Assad era is over, cross-border smuggling from Syria has not stopped altogether. ...

Jordanian forces seized a large number of narcotics after Syrian smugglers attempted to cross the border. (Photo: Jordanian Armed Forces)

Brief

Syria Military Brief: South Syria – June 2024

July 15, 2024

In contrast to recent escalations in Lebanon, Iranian-backed militias in south Syria have remained quiet in recent weeks. By the ...

The foreign ministers for Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Iraq and Saudi Arabia attend the Amman Consultative Meeting on 1 May 2023. (Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Twitter/X)

Study

STUDY: Normalization, One Year On

June 17, 2024

In need of solutions to the growing security threats emanating from Syria, Arab states normalized relations with the Syrian regime ...

In mid-December, Israeli forces dropped leaflets over south Syria to warn residents against supporting armed groups responsible for cross-border attacks against Israel. (Photo: Telegram)

Brief

Syria Military Brief: South Syria – December 2023

January 14, 2024

Ongoing hostilities between Israeli forces and Iranian-backed militias in south Syria escalated markedly in recent weeks, with cross-border missile strikes ...

Study

STUDY: Changes Within South Syria’s Drug Network – September 2023

September 12, 2023

The 8th May airstrike that killed smuggling kingpin Marai al-Ramthan fundamentally altered the state of drug smuggling in south Syria, ...

The regime opened a new temporary settlement center in Daraa this month, claiming to have settled the status of more than 500 individuals in its first day of operation. (Source: Daraa 24)

Brief

Syria Military Brief: South Syria – May 2023

June 7, 2023

Despite continuing to profit handsomely from the expanding narcotics trade in south Syria, the Assad regime launched a series of ...

Narcotics sourced from key suppliers in Lebanon and Syria make their way to Jordan’s northern borders through a network including Hezbollah, regime security forces, and smuggling groups.

Study

Study: South Syria’s Drug Supply Chains – June 2023

June 1, 2023

The reach of Syria’s illicit smuggling networks has become a top concern in the region and western states. Seeking to ...

The Free Syrian Army at al-Tanf confiscates a shipment of Captagon pills bound for Jordan on 7 May, 2023. (Source Telegram)

Analysis

Memo: State of Instability in Syria – May 2023

May 18, 2023

12-years since its suspension, the Assad regime is now returning to the Arab League. Up against the very real and ...

Narcotics and weapons seized by Jordan’s Public Security Directorate in early April. (Image: Jordan Public Security - Public Security Directorate, Facebook)

Brief

Syria Military Brief: South Syria – 9 May 2023

May 9, 2023

This brief covers the reporting period of the month of April 2023 In the month leading up to its readmission ...

Tag: Captagon