Shafaq News – Baghdad

More than 1,200 individuals have been arrested for manipulating prices since the start of July, the Ministry of Interior announced on Monday.

In a press release, Brigadier General Muqdad Miri, head of the ministry’s Relations and Media Department, stated that 1,275 suspects were detained across various provinces for committing offenses related to price manipulation of goods, food items, and services.

Consumer prices in Iraq fell in June, driven by lower food and housing costs, according the Ministry of Planning.

Monthly inflation dropped 1.2% compared to May, while annual inflation eased 0.6% from June 2024, according to ministry spokesperson Abdul Zahra al-Hindawi.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages recorded the largest monthly drop, falling 1.7%. Tobacco and housing each declined by 2.1%, while clothing and footwear edged up 0.1%.