The Syrian Future Movement welcomes the official announcement issued by the Syrian Ministry of Interior on February 6, 2026, summarizing the results of anti-drug campaigns during the second half of 2025 (July to December).
The announcement details quantitative and qualitative achievements in combating the scourge of drugs, which was one of the most prominent legacies of the former regime and a source of illicit funding that harmed the national economy and Syrian society.
The Syrian Future Movement highlights the official data indicating intensive efforts both domestically and regionally, most notably:
Within Syrian territory: Seizure of more than 25.2 million Captagon pills and 1,750 kilograms of hashish, in addition to raw materials for manufacturing.
Outside the borders (through international cooperation): Seizure of an additional 23 million Captagon pills, 500 kilograms of raw materials, 54 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, and 229 kilograms of hashish.
Effective regional cooperation: with Turkey (14 million pills and 26 arrests), Iraq (6 million pills and 31 arrests), Kuwait (1.2 million pills), Jordan (over 1 million pills along with quantities of cocaine), and Saudi Arabia (230,000 pills and 3 arrests).
Total: Over 48 million Captagon pills seized, along with the dismantling of local and regional networks.
The Syrian Future Movement believes that these figures, if fully confirmed, represent a significant positive shift, especially after the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report in December 2025 confirmed a significant decline in production in Syria following the political change and the dismantling of 15 manufacturing facilities and 13 storage sites. This is further supported by the official declaration that “Syria is no longer a Captagon manufacturing country,” which reflects a new political will to end the production phase associated with the symbols of the former regime and opens the door to broader regional cooperation.
While welcoming these results, the Syrian Future Movement emphasizes the importance of constructive criticism to ensure transparency and sustainability, especially during this fragile transitional phase:
- The large figures may partially reflect existing stockpiles from the previous regime and are not necessarily conclusive evidence of a complete halt to new production.
- The announcement also lacks specific details regarding the destruction of new factories or the arrest of key figures in ongoing networks.
- Security gaps persist along the long borders, particularly in the unstable regions (south and east), where small-scale operations or local networks may continue due to entrenched corruption or resource scarcity.
The social and humanitarian aspects are relatively absent from the announcement: combating drugs must be part of a comprehensive program that includes the rehabilitation of addicts (estimated to number in the tens of thousands of young Syrians affected by years of conflict), prevention in schools and neighborhoods, and psychosocial support for affected families.
We believe these points are not a rejection of the efforts, but rather a sincere national call to strengthen accountability and transparency to prevent the resurgence of the drug scourge in new forms.
The Syrian Future Movement believes that combating drugs is a fundamental pillar for building a modern, secure, and prosperous state. We emphasize our vision, which we outlined in our paper published on our official website on December 4, 2025, entitled “The Reality of Drug Trafficking and Use in Syria Before and After the Fall of the Assad Regime,” that current efforts must be strengthened through a comprehensive national strategy that includes:
- Expanding international cooperation with organizations such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Interpol, and neighboring countries, through intelligence sharing, joint training, and coordinated operations.
- Building sustainable internal capacities: developing security agencies with modern surveillance technologies, establishing specialized rehabilitation centers for addicts, and integrating civil society and NGOs into prevention and awareness campaigns at the community level.
- Linking to economic development: investing potential revenues from combating smuggling in development programs, such as supporting alternative agriculture in rural areas previously used for illicit production, and providing productive employment opportunities for young people to prevent their return to crime.
- Periodic and transparent evaluation: Issuing official reports every six months, with the participation of independent international observers, to measure real progress and ensure the networks do not return. The Syrian Future Movement supports every effort that contributes to purging our country of the legacy of the former regime and affirms that true success lies in building a safe, healthy, and prosperous society.
We also call on the transitional government to strengthen these efforts with broad participation from national forces and civil society, so that together we can build the Syria of the future that our people and future generations deserve.
