Lebanese Authorities Close In on Notorious Captagon Kingpin After Years of Eluding Capture
In a major blow to Lebanon's illicit drug trade, authorities announced Thursday that notorious Captagon kingpin Noah Zeiter has been apprehended during a raid near the eastern city of Baalbeck. The Lebanese army had been tracking Zeiter for years, and his capture marks a significant milestone in their efforts to dismantle the country's networks smuggling amphetamines into Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states.
According to sources close to the military, Zeiter was taken into custody after a standoff with intelligence officials, who were able to coax him out of hiding. While details about his arrest remain scarce, Zeiter is widely believed to be one of the most prolific Captagon manufacturers in Lebanon, with ties to powerful figures within the Hezbollah group.
As part of international efforts to curb Captagon production and smuggling, the US and UK had already sanctioned Zeiter in 2023 for his alleged involvement in manufacturing and trading the addictive amphetamine. His capture comes amid a broader crackdown by Lebanese authorities on the country's porous borders with Syria, which has been a major hub for Captagon trafficking.
Zeiter's reputation as a ruthless and elusive operator was forged before the conflict in Syria began in 2011. Prior to his current run-in with the law, he had produced large quantities of cannabis and appeared occasionally in the media. However, his connections to the Assad regime have only grown stronger since then, and he has become close to both Hezbollah and Syria's Fourth Division.
The Syrian government has also been cracking down on Captagon production and smuggling, with security officials reporting continued busts at border crossings between Lebanon and Syria. With tensions easing along the border following the ousting of President Assad in December 2024, authorities are now focusing on dismantling the networks that have enabled Zeiter's operations.
Zeiter's arrest marks a significant development in Lebanon's efforts to tackle its Captagon problem and improve ties with Saudi Arabia, which had suspended imports from the country in 2021 following a discovery of hidden Captagon shipments. With his capture, Lebanese authorities may finally be starting to close in on the sources of this lucrative but deadly trade.
In a major blow to Lebanon's illicit drug trade, authorities announced Thursday that notorious Captagon kingpin Noah Zeiter has been apprehended during a raid near the eastern city of Baalbeck. The Lebanese army had been tracking Zeiter for years, and his capture marks a significant milestone in their efforts to dismantle the country's networks smuggling amphetamines into Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states.
According to sources close to the military, Zeiter was taken into custody after a standoff with intelligence officials, who were able to coax him out of hiding. While details about his arrest remain scarce, Zeiter is widely believed to be one of the most prolific Captagon manufacturers in Lebanon, with ties to powerful figures within the Hezbollah group.
As part of international efforts to curb Captagon production and smuggling, the US and UK had already sanctioned Zeiter in 2023 for his alleged involvement in manufacturing and trading the addictive amphetamine. His capture comes amid a broader crackdown by Lebanese authorities on the country's porous borders with Syria, which has been a major hub for Captagon trafficking.
Zeiter's reputation as a ruthless and elusive operator was forged before the conflict in Syria began in 2011. Prior to his current run-in with the law, he had produced large quantities of cannabis and appeared occasionally in the media. However, his connections to the Assad regime have only grown stronger since then, and he has become close to both Hezbollah and Syria's Fourth Division.
The Syrian government has also been cracking down on Captagon production and smuggling, with security officials reporting continued busts at border crossings between Lebanon and Syria. With tensions easing along the border following the ousting of President Assad in December 2024, authorities are now focusing on dismantling the networks that have enabled Zeiter's operations.
Zeiter's arrest marks a significant development in Lebanon's efforts to tackle its Captagon problem and improve ties with Saudi Arabia, which had suspended imports from the country in 2021 following a discovery of hidden Captagon shipments. With his capture, Lebanese authorities may finally be starting to close in on the sources of this lucrative but deadly trade.
finally some progress on captagon trafficking! it's crazy how one person can have so much power and influence, especially with ties to hezbollah... hopefully they'll dismantle all his networks now and make a real impact on the saudi arabia problem 
it's like he was living under a rock or something i mean who gets away for so long? 
i guess that's what happens when you're involved in some shady stuff and have connections to some powerful people. it's interesting how the syrian government is also cracking down on captagon production now, maybe they want to clean up their own act after all the mess they made during the conflict. anyway, this might be a good sign for lebanon trying to tackle its captagon problem and improve ties with saudi arabia 
. anyway, it's about time lebanese authorities stepped up their game and took a stand against Captagon production. saudi arabia needs to lift that import ban ASAP, it's like they're just fueling the fire 
just heard about this massive bust in Lebanon and I'm thinking it's awesome that they've been tracking down this Captagon kingpin for years 
now we might see a real dent in their illicit drug trade 
still hoping that this will lead to more cooperation from Saudi Arabia on reducing Captagon imports 
and it's great to hear that the Syrian government is also cracking down on production and smuggling - maybe we'll see a domino effect of countries taking control of their own borders 
. It's interesting that he had ties to Hezbollah though, that's wild. Do you think this will make a big difference in Saudi Arabia and other places? 
I think it's about time someone took down one of these Captagon kingpins! Noah Zeiter has been evading capture for years and his arrest is a huge win for Lebanon's efforts to crack down on its illicit drug trade 
. The fact that he had ties to powerful figures in Hezbollah doesn't exactly fill me with confidence, though - it just goes to show how deep the problem runs 
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. The US and UK already had him sanctioned back in 2023, so this is just another step towards holding him accountable for his crimes.