PARIS: A substance known to be used by Islamic State militants to reduce fear has been intercepted for the first time at a French airport, customs authorities said on Tuesday. Some 137 kilos of the banned drug Captagon were seized during the months of January and February according to a statement. Separate shipments of the substance were detected on Jan. 4 and Feb. 22 at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris hidden inside the walls of two containers, both of which had arrived from Libya.
Laboratory analysis revealed the tablets “contained amphetamine and theophylline,” Captagon’s main compounds, the statement said. Captagon or phenethylline is a psychostimulant first synthesized in Germany in 1961 and although hardly known in Europe; it has become one of the most widespread drugs in the Middle East, especially in Lebanon and Syria and has been called “the Islamist militant’s drug of choice.” The drug, also known formerly as Biocapton, and Fitton, is no longer legally manufactured after being declared a controlled Class I substance in the United States. According to experts it is now used by militants on the battle front and by Islamic State suicide bombers to combat fear, pain and fatigue. Captagon was originally intended for geriatric and pediatric use until it was banned in 1986. The Jan. 4 first shipment contained 350,000 tablets, totaling 70 kilograms (154 pounds) of the substance, while the second weighed 67 kilograms. The black market street value of the 137 kilograms of Captagon would be close to 1.5 million euro ($1.7 million), according to French customs.
French, German and Czech authorities are cooperating to “identify the identity of the individuals awaiting their arrival to the Czech Republic.” According to police investigators, the shipment’s final destination was Saudi Arabia, and apparently, its intended route was overland through Turkey. In 2016, Saudi Prince Abdel Mohsen Bin Walid Bin Abdulaziz was among those detained by Beirut airport security as they allegedly attempted “to smuggle about two tons of Captagon pills and some cocaine,” according to Lebanese state news, on board a private plane heading to Riyadh. The Lebanese customs discovered 40 suitcases full of Captagon on the aircraft. In April 2014, Lebanese security forces also foiled an attempt to smuggle 15 million capsules of Captagon hidden in shipping containers full of corn from Beirut’s port. In 2016, French customs seized 83 tons of controlled substances of which 236 kilograms were amphetamine.
