Captagon seized in Abu Dhabi Police operation

Three men have been arrested in Abu Dhabi after 2.25 million Captagon tablets were found in boxes labelled as dried apricots.

Abu Dhabi Police said the suspects intended to sell some of the drugs in the UAE and transport the rest abroad.

“One million of these tablets were destined for the domestic market, while the remaining tablets were meant for smuggling,” said Brig Gen Taher Al Dhaheri, director of Abu Dhabi Police’s anti-narcotics team.

He said the operation was a success thanks to a comprehensive plan and co-operation with authorities in the UAE.

Officers tracked the three suspects after a tip-off.

They were arrested and drugs, hidden in three flats in a neighbouring emirate, were confiscated. Police said tools used to package the pills were also taken in the search.

Brig Gen Taher said collaboration with other organisations to combat drug threats was important.

He urged people to report any information that may relate to drug crimes.

He said Abu Dhabi Police had been successful in curbing drug trafficking, with numerous arrests resulting from their work.

“The force’s efforts are aimed at protecting society, especially young people, from the deadly effects of drugs, and improving preventive measures against crime and strengthening the security and stability of society,” he said.

Captagon is thought to be the illegal drug most commonly used in the Middle East.

In February, Abu Dhabi Police discovered 4.5 million Captagon tablets stashed in cans of green beans. One suspected was detained in the operation.

Captagon was created in 1961 as an alternative to amphetamines and methamphetamines.

It was used to treat patients who had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and, less commonly, depression.

It never received regulatory approval in the US.

In 1981, Captagon was declared a controlled substance after medical investigations determined that addiction outweighed its clinical benefits. By 1986, its manufacture had been outlawed in most countries.

Criminal gangs from Bulgaria and Turkey are believed to have helped to introduce Captagon to the Middle East, where production has flourished in territory beyond the control of fragile states such as Syria and Lebanon.

Trade in Captagon in the Middle East grew exponentially in 2021 to exceed $5 billion, posing an increasing health and security risk, a report released last year said.

Research by the US-based New Lines Institute painted a picture of the effect booming Captagon production has.

“The Captagon trade is a rapidly growing illicit economy in the Middle East and Mediterranean,” analysts Caroline Rose and Alexander Soderholm wrote.

Researchers discovered that Captagon is now a major source of income in some of the region’s poorest countries