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Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/05/world/middleeast/syria-drugs-captagon-assad.html
Syria: the World's Newest Narcostate
(New York Times) Ben Hubbard - In Syria, an illegal drug industry run by powerful associates and relatives of President Bashar al-Assad has grown into a multibillion-dollar operation, turning the country into the world's newest narcostate. Its flagship product is captagon, an illegal, addictive amphetamine, but the Syrian smuggling network has also begun to move more dangerous drugs, like crystal meth. Much of the production and distribution is overseen by the Fourth Armored Division of the Syrian Army, commanded by Maher al-Assad, the president's younger brother. Major players also include Hizbullah. "It is literally the Syrian government that is exporting the drugs....They are the drug cartel," said Joel Rayburn, former U.S. special envoy for Syria.