Captagon and conflict: Drugs and war on the border between Jordan and Syria

Abstract

Captagon is an illegal amphetamine that is widely used in the Middle East.Since the civil war started in 2011, Syria has become an international hub for Captagon production.A main Captagon trafficking route runs from Syria to the Arabian peninsula via Jordan.This has caused increasing domestic consumption of Captagon in Jordan.This article asks how Captagon trafficking and use in Jordan intersects with war in Syria and its wider impact.It illustrates how drug trafficking can be the product of violence and can also become a conduit for further violence.The article firstly analyses the drugs-conflict nexus in Syria and emphasizes Captagon trafficking as a new case study to this literature.It unpacks the role of the state in the crime-conflict nexus.The second half of the article draws on critical border studies literature to illustrate how the illegal Captagon trade has increased violence by contributing to an increasingly militarized border, with significant consequences for the communities who live and work there.The study concludes by considering the implications of Captagon trafficking for peace and stability in Syria and the region.