According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, trafficking in amphetamines has increased in the Middle East in recent years. Photo: Dubai Customs
Specially trained K-9 units are often used by border forces to intercept shipments. EPA
Experts believe the amount intercepted accounts for only around a tenth of the total quantity of pills being smuggled out of places like Syria and Jordan. EPA
Dubai Customs thwarted 398 attempts to smuggle drugs into the city in the first three months of this year. Photo: Dubai Customs
Captagon pills on display after being seized in Greece in 2019. EPA
Captagon became synonymous with the Syrian Civil War. AFP
The small, off-white pills have quickly become one of the most widely consumed drugs in the Middle East. EPA
Millions of Captagon pills are seized around the world each year. EPA
Captagon pills on display after a major interception of a shipment in 2009. Nicole Hill / The National
Customs officers say Captagon smugglers prefer to use sea ports rather than airports because of the size of shipping containers, enabling them to conceal larger quantities of drugs. Photo: Dubai Customs
But what is Captagon, who is consuming it and what effects does it have on users?
What is Captagon?
Captagon was first created in 1961 as an alternative to amphetamine and methamphetamine and was used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and, less commonly, depression.
The drug, however, was never given regulatory approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and in 1981 it was declared a controlled substance after the medical community determined that the drug’s addictive properties outweighed its clinical benefits.
By 1986 manufacturing Captagon had been outlawed in almost every country, but illegal production of the drug continued.
Criminal gangs from Bulgaria and Turkey are believed to have helped to introduce Captagon to the Middle East, where production has flourished in territory beyond the control of fragile states such as Syria and Lebanon.
Today, most of the pills being sold as Captagon across the region have little in common with the tablets produced in the 1960s.
Although stamped with the Captagon logo, these counterfeit pills – often white or yellowish brown in colour – are much less likely to contain fenethylline, the chemical first used in the original tablets.
They are instead more often made up of a mix of other amphetamine derivatives that are easier to produce, as well as additives such as caffeine, quinine and paracetamol.
Who is taking it?
Captagon quickly became associated with the civil war in Syria, after reports emerged of fighters on both sides using the drug on the battlefield.
Talk of ISIS fighters being imbued with supernatural powers after dosing up on handfuls of pills were fanned by producers and the fighters themselves, but have largely been discredited by experts.
Analysts often questioned the drug’s influence on the conflict, pointing instead to the Captagon trade being a lucrative revenue stream for the different warring sides in Syria.The main markets for Captagon are in the Gulf, where it is popular as a recreational drug with young people, particularly in Saudi Arabia.
Data on how widespread the use of Captagon is in Saudi Arabia is scarce, but it is known to be popular as a party drug and among students under pressure to perform academically.
In 2015, the secretary general of Saudi Arabia’s National Committee for Narcotics Control said that the majority of the kingdom’s drug addicts were between 12 and 22 years old, with as many as 40 per cent of those addicted to Captagon being in that age group.
What effects does it have on users?
Captagon is a highly addictive amphetamine. It works by stimulating the central nervous system, increasing alertness and concentration and allowing users to stay awake.
It has been compared with drugs such as Adderall, another amphetamine used to treat ADHD in children.
Despite the descriptions of extremist fighters in Syria feeling invincible while on the drug, the effects of Captagon are generally mild, with users reporting feeling mild euphoria, as well as being talkative and more energetic.
But Captagon abuse can have devastating consequences for those who become addicted.
Long-term amphetamine users can suffer from a range of side effects including confusion, hallucinations, nausea, vomiting, seizures, high blood pressure and heart palpitations, according to The Cabin, an addiction services group that operates in Saudi Arabia.
Other side effects reported by regular users include blurred vision, vertigo, breathing difficulties, heart palpitations, gastrointestinal symptoms, muscle and joint pain, mood swings, confusion, feelings of anger and irritability.
When users try to quit taking Captagon pills, they often encounter strong withdrawal symptoms, including fatigue, that cause them to seek out the drug again.
Treatment for Captagon addiction usually includes psychotherapy, as well as exercise and diet programmes.
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
6pm: Al Wasl Plaza – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Jadwal, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples. Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts. Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.