State-Sponsored Drug Trafficking in the Middle East: Media Exaggeration or Genu ine International Security Threat?

Abstract

In the shadows of conflict and economic collapse, a new form of power has emerged in the Middle East: the Captagon trade. This dissertation explores the intersection of state-sponsored drug trafficking, media narratives, and international security, focusing on how synthetic amphetamines like Captagon have become both a survival strategy and geopolitical weapon for regimes and militant groups. With Syria as the epicenter and Hezbollah as a key actor, this illicit economy generates billions in revenue while destabilizing neighboring countries such as Saudi Arabia. Through a constructivist lens, this study analyzes how Western and regional media portray the Captagon trade—as either a growing security threat or a convenient political narrative. Combining case studies on Syria, Iran, and Saudi Arabia with media content analysis and policy review, the research reveals a complex web where drugs fund militias, bypass sanctions, and shape international responses. The findings challenge simplified narratives and call for nuanced, multi-dimensional strategies that address the roots of the drug trade rather than merely its symptoms. This study ultimately asks: is Captagon merely a crisis of addiction, or is it a tool of 21st-century warfare?

This dissertation investigates whether state-sponsored drug trafficking in the Middle East represents a genuine international security threat or if it is exaggerated by media narratives. Focusing on the production and trade of Captagon—a synthetic amphetamine popular in the region—it explores the roles of state and non-state actors, particularly Syria, Iran, and Hezbollah, in the proliferation of this illicit economy. The research employs a constructivist theoretical framework to analyze how media discourse shapes perceptions of drug trafficking as a security issue. Through qualitative methods including media analysis, case studies, and policy reviews, the study reveals that while the Captagon trade poses real security and public health risks, media portrayals often amplify the threat, aligning with broader geopolitical agendas. It further highlights the complex relationship between drug economies, regional conflict, and international policy. The findings suggest that current securitized responses may overlook underlying socio-economic drivers and calls for more nuanced, cooperative strategies that address both the causes and consequences of state-linked narcotics trafficking in the Middle East.