‘Captagon connection’: How Syria became a narco state A smuggler describes the inner workings of the captagon trade in northern Syria, where the stimulant is trafficked across frontlines between areas under the control of Syrian government forces, Turkish-backed rebels, and the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham jihadist group. "It's a jungle out there, everyone is hungry and everyone wants to eat.” The stimulant – once notorious for its association with Islamic State group fighters – has spawned an illegal $10-billion industry.