Hassan Muhammad Daqqou
Hassan Muhammad Daqqou | |
|---|---|
| Born | Hassan Muhammad Daqqou 1 February 1985 Tfail, Lebanon |
Hassan Muhammad Daqqou (Arabic: حسن محمد دقو) born on February 1, 1985, in Tfail, Lebanon, is a Lebanese-Syrian dual national, widely known as the “King of Captagon,” due to his central role in the production and trafficking of Captagon, an illicit amphetamine popular in the Middle East.[1]
Early life and business ventures
[edit]Daqqou was born in Tfail, a remote Lebanese village near the Syrian border, where smuggling is common among the local population.[2][3] Coming from a modest background, he began his career selling watches on the street and gradually expanded into various business ventures, including a pesticide factory in Jordan, a car dealership in Syria, and a fleet of tanker trucks. His growing wealth allowed him to acquire numerous properties in Beirut and the Beqaa Valley.[3][4]
Business
[edit]Daqqou owns and controls several companies, including Hassan Daqqou Trading and Al-Israa Establishment for Import and Export, both registered in Lebanon’s Beka’a Valley. These companies are believed to serve as fronts for his illicit operations.[5][6] He has amassed significant wealth, acquiring properties and land in Lebanon and Syria. His investments include agricultural land and construction projects, often under the guise of legitimate business but reportedly used to further his drug empire.[3][2]
Captagon distribution and criminal allegations
[edit]Daqqou's name became prominent in 2021 when Lebanese authorities arrested him in connection with a massive Captagon shipment intercepted in Malaysia on its route to Saudi Arabia.[7][4] During the investigation, authorities uncovered nearly $2 million in cash at his residence and an additional $1.1 million in a safe box at a construction company registered under his wife's name.[8][9]
He has been linked to the Syrian Army’s elite Fourth Division, led by Maher al-Assad, and reportedly operated under the protection of Hezbollah affiliates.[5][3] Daqqou claimed during interrogation that he was working for the Fourth Division to help track drug smuggling inside Syria, even presenting an official Fourth Division ID card to investigators.[9]
In 2023, the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated Daqqou under Executive Order 13224 for providing material support to Hezbollah.[10] His companies, Hassan Daqqou Trading and Al-Israa Establishment for Import and Export, were also sanctioned for being owned or controlled by him. His network operates across Lebanon and Syria, with manufacturing plants reportedly built near the Syrian-Lebanese border.[11][5]
Legal proceedings and sentencing
[edit]Following his arrest, Daqqou was sentenced to seven years in prison by a Lebanese court in late 2021. However, concerns have been raised about the enforcement of this sentence and the potential for political interference, given his alleged connections to powerful figures in Lebanon and Syria. Despite his arrest, reports indicate he continued to manage his business operations from prison, allegedly with the help of Hizballah affiliates.[5][2]
International sanctions and designations
[edit]In addition to U.S. sanctions, Daqqou was designated by the European Union in April 2023 for his involvement in the Syrian regime's drug trafficking operations.[12][11] The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control lists him as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist linked to Hezbollah.[13][14]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Engel Rasmussen, Sune; Michaels, Daniel. "America's Rivals Have a New Favorite Weapon: Criminal Gangs". Archived from the original on November 24, 2024. Retrieved May 26, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Dethroning Lebanon's "King of Captagon"". www.washingtoninstitute.org. Retrieved 2025-05-26.
- ^ a b c d "Double Dealers: Lebanon and the Risks of Captagon Trafficking". Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Retrieved 2025-05-26.
- ^ a b علي, خالد (2022-05-18). "معهد واشنطن.. على أمريكا إنهاء إمبراطورية "ملك الكبتاغون" الذي يحميه "حزب الله"". صحيفة سبق الالكترونية (in Arabic). Retrieved 2025-05-26.
- ^ a b c d "Treasury Sanctions Syrian Regime and Lebanese Actors Involved in Illicit Drug Production and Trafficking". 2023.
- ^ "Counter Terrorism Designations; Syria Designations". ofac.treasury.gov. Retrieved 2025-05-26.
- ^ "Border Traffic: How Syria Uses Captagon to Gain Leverage Over Saudi Arabia". Xcept. Retrieved 2025-05-26.
- ^ Caesar, Ed (2024-11-04). "How Syria Became the Middle East's Drug Dealer". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 2025-05-26.
- ^ a b "A 'Drug War': Syria's Neighbors Fight a Flood of Captagon Across Their Borders". 2023.
- ^ "Department of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control Notice of OFAC Sanctions Actions" (PDF). 2023.
- ^ a b "Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/844". 2023.
- ^ [about:blank "Hassan Muhammad Daqqou"]. 2023.
{{cite news}}: Check|url=value (help) - ^ "Sanctions List Search". sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov. Retrieved 2025-05-26.
- ^ "Hassan Muhammad Daqqou". 2025.