Mick Hartley

Interesting, from the Jerusalem Post:

Hamas terrorists who carried out a surprise attack on October 7 were found to be under the influence of Captagon, a synthetic amphetamine-type stimulant that has been clandestinely produced in southern Europe and trafficked through Turkey to the consumer markets on the Arabian Peninsula…

The pills were recovered from the pockets of many terrorists who lost their lives on Israeli soil.

This stimulant drug, also known as the "cocaine for the poor," allowed the terrorists to commit heinous acts with a sense of calmness and indifference. Simultaneously, it kept them highly alert for extended periods and suppressed their appetite.

Captagon gained notoriety in 2015 when it was discovered to be used by ISIS fighters to suppress fear prior to carrying out terrorist operations. As the influence of terrorist organizations like ISIS diminished, Lebanon and Syria took the reins and began producing and distributing the drug on a large scale….

Once a source of revenue for ISIS members through drug smuggling, Captagon has now become a major source of income for Syria and is actively supported by Hezbollah.

Around two years ago, an investigation conducted by The New York Times revealed that individuals associated with Syrian dictator Bashar Assad, including family members, had established a thriving industry for the production of Captagon.

This industry, which involves the participation of Hezbollah, is overseen by Assad's brother and serves as a prosperous enterprise amidst the ruins of the ongoing civil war that has plagued Syria for over a decade.

The profits generated from the drug trade in Syria exceed those gained from legitimate exports.

Reliable estimates suggest that Captagon's exports from Syria alone reached a minimum of $3.5 billion in 2020 – a figure five times greater than the combined value of Syria's legal export industries, estimated at just over $700 million.