BLiTZ
In a significant development underscoring growing regional collaboration against transnational drug networks, Iraq has revealed that intelligence sharing with Lebanon was instrumental in dismantling one of the Middle East’s largest Captagon production facilities. The announcement, made by Iraq’s Interior Ministry on August 18, sheds new light on a July raid by the Lebanese army that uncovered a vast underground operation linked to the lucrative Captagon trade-a narcotics industry valued at billions of dollars and deeply intertwined with regional instability.
In mid-July, Lebanese security forces announced the discovery of a major Captagon factory in the mountainous region of Yammouneh, roughly 25 kilometers from Baalbek, an area long associated with smuggling and illicit trade. The Lebanese army reported finding a massive 300-meter tunnel designed to move and store raw materials for drug production.
Footage released at the time showed soldiers operating bulldozers to fill in the tunnel, piles of narcotics being incinerated, and large quantities of seized materials. Authorities said they confiscated around 10 tonnes of equipment and machinery, as well as destroying large amounts of Captagon pills, crystal meth, and other narcotics on-site.
Lebanon’s initial announcement, however, made no mention of foreign assistance. That omission was corrected weeks later when Iraq’s Interior Ministry publicly declared that its Directorate of Narcotics Affairs had provided “precise intelligence” to the Lebanese General Directorate of State Security, enabling the raid to be carried out.
Baghdad hailed the joint success as a “qualitative achievement” and described it as the “strongest blow” yet to Captagon networks operating across the Middle East. The statement highlighted Iraq’s evolving role as an active player in regional anti-drug campaigns.
Iraq has long suffered from the effects of the narcotics trade, particularly the spread of Captagon, which has found a foothold among youth populations in Iraq, Jordan, and the Gulf states. In recent years, Iraq has moved beyond simply defending its own borders to proactively engaging in cross-border operations and intelligence sharing with neighboring states.
This year alone, Iraq has reported several major drug seizures tied directly to the Captagon trade. In July, Iraqi counter-narcotics forces announced the seizure of more than 1.35 million Captagon pills in Damascus, Syria-an operation remarkable not only for its scale but for the rare instance of Iraqi forces conducting coordinated work inside Syrian territory. Earlier, in February, Baghdad reported confiscating around 1.1 tonnes of Captagon pills hidden inside a truck that entered Iraq from Syria through Turkey. That bust, which Iraqi authorities described as the first major operation since the fall of Bashar Al Assad’s regime in December, was carried out with assistance from Saudi Arabia’s drug enforcement agency.
Captagon, a potent amphetamine-based pill often referred to as the “poor man’s cocaine,” has become the drug of choice for many young people in the region. Cheap, easy to produce, and highly addictive, it is particularly popular among populations with limited economic opportunities.
The trade’s epicenter lies in Syria, where production exploded during the country’s civil war. According to a 2021 report by the Washington-based New Lines Institute, Syria under Bashar Al Assad became the world’s primary manufacturer of Captagon, producing up to 80 percent of the global supply. That same report estimated that in 2021 alone, the Assad regime generated more than $5 billion in revenue from Captagon exports, making it one of the Syrian government’s most significant sources of foreign currency amid heavy international sanctions.
The global market for Captagon is currently valued at about $10 billion annually. Despite numerous raids and seizures, demand across the Middle East continues to grow, fueling a black market that sustains criminal syndicates and provides cash to sanctioned regimes and armed groups.
The raid on the Yammouneh lab is more than just a victory against a criminal enterprise; it is a demonstration of how regional governments are beginning to treat the Captagon trade as a national security threat. The drug’s proliferation has not only devastated public health but also empowered organized crime and armed factions across the Levant.
Lebanon, itself struggling with economic collapse and political paralysis, has faced mounting international criticism for its inability to dismantle entrenched trafficking networks. Many of these groups reportedly operate with the protection of powerful local militias. The July operation therefore represents a rare large-scale success for Beirut’s security forces-and underscores the importance of international collaboration.
For Iraq, the raid demonstrates Baghdad’s willingness to expand its intelligence-sharing partnerships beyond Syria and Saudi Arabia. By supporting Lebanon, Iraq is positioning itself as a central hub for regional counter-narcotics coordination. The Interior Ministry organizes annual regional meetings dedicated to combating drug trafficking, aiming to standardize practices and strengthen cooperation between Middle Eastern states that often have fraught political relations.
While the Yammouneh raid dealt a heavy blow to one Captagon network, the broader challenge remains daunting. No arrests were made at the time of the operation, and Lebanese security forces have since launched manhunts to track down those responsible for running the factory. Given the deep-rooted corruption, porous borders, and militia influence in both Lebanon and Syria, experts warn that dismantling one facility will not be enough to curb the trade.
Still, the operation highlights a shift in how countries like Iraq are approaching the problem. Instead of acting in isolation, regional governments are increasingly coordinating intelligence and pooling resources to confront a threat that transcends national boundaries.
As Baghdad continues to ramp up its involvement, further cross-border operations and intelligence-led raids are likely. Whether these efforts can significantly disrupt the $10 billion Captagon industry remains uncertain, but the Iraq-Lebanon cooperation demonstrates that progress is possible when governments set aside divisions and focus on common security interests.
The raid on the Yammouneh Captagon lab is a milestone in regional counter-narcotics efforts, made possible by the intelligence cooperation between Iraq and Lebanon. It underscores the scale of the challenge posed by Captagon-an industry born out of war and sustained by political instability-and the necessity of regional collaboration to address it. For Iraq, it marks another step in its transition from a country beleaguered by narcotics smuggling to one playing a proactive role in shaping Middle Eastern security responses.
Suraiyya Aziz specializes on topics related to the Middle East and the Arab world.