Authorities foil attempt to smuggle 600,000 Captagon pills into Kuwait

BASRA — Authorities at the Safwan border crossing on Wednesday foiled an attempt to smuggle 600,000 Captagon pills into Kuwait, hidden inside a four-wheel-drive vehicle driven by a man carrying a foreign passport.

In an official statement, the Border Crossings Authority said the seized narcotics weighed approximately 104 kilograms and were concealed in what officials described as a “professional manner.”

“In line with the government’s anti-corruption and anti-smuggling directives, the Border Crossings Authority continues its efforts to confront threats against the country and its people,” the statement said. “The Safwan Border Directorate, under direct supervision of Lt. Gen. Dr. Omar Adnan Al-Waeli, intercepted a large quantity of Captagon — 600,000 pills — hidden in a vehicle bound for Kuwait.”

The operation was carried out through coordination between the border directorate, customs police, the anti-narcotics unit, and the judiciary. A joint committee was formed to document the seizure, and the driver along with the confiscated drugs were referred to the Safwan customs police station for legal proceedings, the statement said.

On March 16, 2025, Iraqi security forces seized more than one ton of Captagon tablets smuggled from Syria through Turkey, according to the Interior Ministry. General Muqdad Miri, the ministry’s spokesman, stated that the Narcotics Directorate “seized a truck from Syria, bound for Iraq, via Turkey, transporting 1.1 tons” of the powerful synthetic stimulant.