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Published Feb 1, 2022

619: Danny Gold | Breaking News from the Underworld

Seasoned journalist Danny Gold delves into the perilous world of conflict reporting, sharing gripping stories from war zones, investigations into human trafficking in Burma, and insights into the Captagon drug trade in Syria, illustrating the complex realities and international stakes involved.
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  • Captagon Trade

    discusses the Captagon drug trade in Syria, a meth-like pill with a massive addiction rate in the Middle East. Initially produced legally, Captagon became popular in the Gulf, Syria, and Lebanon due to its low production cost and high profitability. The Assad government now controls its production, leading to billion-dollar busts in Mediterranean ports and widespread distribution in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries 1.

    Captagon is a pill, that's kind of like speed. And it was a real, like legal pill that was made. I think it got outlawed in the early '80s, in most places in the world. But it got popular in the Middle East, in the Gulf, in Syria, Lebanon, places like that. And it's really cheap to make.

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    This illicit industry has shifted from Turkey to Lebanon and now Syria, driven by various groups seeking quick and easy money 1.

       

    ISIS and Captagon

    highlights how ISIS has been linked to Captagon, using it to keep fighters awake and fearless. However, clarifies that while ISIS fighters used Captagon, the Assad regime is the primary producer. Misleading headlines often attribute production to ISIS for sensationalism 2.

    If we write Assad regime, making meth during a civil war to fund it, people are like, "Eh," but if you write, ISIS is making meth, it's like, "ISIS and meth. I've got to read this."

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    This misinformation underscores the complexity of the drug trade in conflict zones, where various actors exploit the chaos for profit 2.

       

    Global Enforcement

    explains the extensive research required for international reporting, emphasizing the importance of understanding local cultures and histories. His co-host, Sean Williams, has extensively covered the meth trade in regions like Burma and North Korea, tapping into sources within law enforcement and the drug trade 3.

    He knows people in law enforcement, he knows people that are involved in the international trade because a lot of it involves China as well, especially in Burma and in North Korea.

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    This deep dive into the global drug trade reveals the interconnectedness of conflict regions and the challenges faced by international enforcement agencies 3.

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