Captagon: ISIS attempts to ruin Italy with help of Hezbollah drugs

Emira al-Sherif

Italian police last week seized a large amount of amphetamines produced by ISIS in Syria, amounting to 14 tons in the form of 84 million Captagon pills in three containers, Fox News reported.

Doubts were raised following the report, specifically regarding the organization’s ability to manufacture such a large amount of the drug after losing most of its lands in Syria, which shifted attention to Hezbollah’s involvement after various sources confirmed that the drugs were produced in Syrian factories affiliated with Hezbollah.

The Italian police said in a statement that the operation took place at the Port of Salerno south of Naples and represents “the largest seizure of amphetamines in the world,” estimating the market value of the drugs at about €1 billion.

The authorities disclosed that the seized drugs were stored in three containers holding industrial paper rolls from Syria and directed to a company based in Lugano, Switzerland, according to Italian news agency AKI.

According to media reports, ISIS had imported Captagon pills – a mixture of amphetamine and a group of other chemicals – during its control of large swaths of Iraq and Syria between 2014 and 2018, as the drug, sometimes referred to as “super soldier”, makes militants feel extremely powerful.

However, it was never mentioned that ISIS manufactured drugs at any stage in the terrorist organization’s existence.

Several sources pointed out that all fingers point to the involvement of the Lebanese Hezbollah, which has long been known to deal with drug-trafficking circles and has a history in the global Captagon trade.

The information confirmed that the shipment that was seized in Naples left the Syrian Port of Latakia, which is completely under the control of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. According to The National newspaper, Iran also rented part of the port last year and may also be involved in the operation.

Analysts emphasized that “exporting through the Port of Latakia is something ISIS could not do even at the height of its power.”

According to research conducted by Der Spiegel magazine, a Hezbollah member owns a Captagon factory in the village of Al-Bayda, south of Latakia, disguised as a packaging material factory, while the transportation is carried out by a Syrian businessman close to Hezbollah.

Meanwhile, the Italian Ministry of Interior did not respond to a request for further comments, and it remains unclear whether any further investigation is underway.

However, other experts concluded that ISIS could be behind the operation and noted that an Italian mafia might also be involved.

This is not the first time that Hezbollah has been implicated in drug trafficking. In April, authorities in Egypt discovered quantities of hashish hidden in milk cartons shipped from the Port of Latakia.

Last July, Greek authorities discovered 5.25 tons of Captagon pills in Piraeus, and accompanying documents showed that the drugs had come from the Port of Latakia.