What in the World - Is Syria’s government pushing an addictive party drug?

Download Is Syria’s government pushing an addictive party drug?

A few days ago police in the United Arab Emirates intercepted a huge haul of illegal Captagon pills worth one billion dollars. It’s an addictive party drug that’s sweeping across the Middle East.

A BBC investigation has found that most of the world’s supply of the drug is coming from Syria - and the trade has links to the highest levels of the Syrian government, something the Assad regime denies. We speak to Emir Nadir, a BBC journalist, who helped expose the scandal around what’s sometimes called “the poor man’s cocaine”.

Plus, the Women’s Tennis Association returns to hosting tournaments in China. Has anything changed since it boycotted the country four years ago following the treatment of top player, Peng Shuai?

Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Alex Rhodes, Julia Ross-Roy and Maria Clara Montoya
Editors: Emily Horler and Simon Peeks

Published on Monday, 18th September 2023.

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