Research Interns Present on Syria’s Political and Security Dynamics

Photo By Sarah Loicano | Research interns, Jessica Hsu and Moe Reichardt, discuss their findings on how narcotics markets have shaped Syria’s political and security dynamics over the past decade during a joint presentation at the George C. Marshall Center in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, April 10, 2025. Moderated by Marshall Center faculty member Dr. Cüneyt Gürer, the session explored how drug trafficking became central to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s economic strategy and diplomatic leverage in the years leading up to his departure from power.  

GERMANY

04.14.2025

Story by Sarah Loicano 

George C. Marshall Center for Security Studies

During a joint presentation at the George C. Marshall Center on April 10, research interns Jessica Hsu and Moe Reichardt discussed their findings on how narcotics markets have shaped Syria’s political and security dynamics over the past decade.

Moderated by Marshall Center faculty member Dr. Cüneyt Gürer, the session explored how drug trafficking became central to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s economic strategy and diplomatic leverage in the years leading up to his departure from power. While al-Assad is no longer in power, a significant tool of his regime’s survival, the narcotic Captagon, continues to shape Syria’s fractured political landscape.

Originally developed in the 1960s as a treatment for ADHD and narcolepsy, Captagon is the brand name for a synthetic stimulant called fenethylline. It was banned in most countries by the 1980s due to its addictive properties, but illegal versions began to circulate, especially in conflict zones. Syria is the epicenter of its production and the drug is often described as Syria’s largest export.

“The market won’t end, it will be reinvented,” said Hsu. “Whoever controls it, controls a key source of regional power.”

Reichardt highlighted how Syria’s economy crumbled from $60 billion GDP in 2011 to just $9 billion in 2021. “Captagon revenues dwarf the national budget,” he noted. “Without it, Assad’s regime likely couldn’t have survived.”

Their analysis, developed as part of the Marshall Center’s research internship program, drew praise from faculty and is under review for future academic use. Both interns will continue to collaborate with the Marshall Center Program on Countering Transnational Organized Crime to share their findings with regional security partners.

• Date Taken: 04.14.2025
• Date Posted: 05.01.2025 03:57
• Story ID: 496170
• Location: DE