In Lebanon, a Saudi Arabian prince is being interrogated by security forces after two tons of amphetamine drugs were found on his private plane. The prince is currently being detained at the Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon.
Abd al-Muhsen bin Walid bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud, who is commonly referred to as Prince Saud, was trying to fly back to Saudi Arabia when he was stopped by security forces. After searching the prince’s private aircraft, the security forces located 40 packages of amphetamine drugs, which weighed about two tons in total.
Reports indicate that officials allegedly found massive quantities of Captagon, an amphetamine drug that is said to be widely used by fighters in the Middle East, most notably Syria.
Amphetamines are used to heighten awareness and focus. They can be used to make people function at a high level for an extended period of time with very little food or sleep. Some common amphetamines that are used in the United States include Adderall and Ritalin, and are sometimes nicknamed “speed”.
Prince Saud, along with four other people, were arrested and taken in for questioning after the discovery was made. It is unknown how long they will be detained.
It’s very likely that the drugs would have eventually made their way to Syria to be used in the war. Lebanon has become a drug gateway in recent years, as efforts are commonly undertaken to supply soldiers fighting in the war with drugs.
According to a 2014 report on drug statistics from the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, the Middle East countries of Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria accounted for 55% of all global amphetamine seizures last year. This likely shows that amphetamines are a major part of the war effort.
In 2013, Lebanon reportedly seized more than 12.3 million Captagon pills.
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