Shafaq News/ The Directorate General of Intelligence and Security, under the Iraqi Ministry of Defense, announced on Wednesday the arrest of 10 drug dealers and traffickers across five governorates.

According to a statement, the Directorate explained that "precise intelligence information enabled intelligence teams to arrest ten drug dealers and traffickers in narcotics based on arrest warrants issued against them by the competent courts."

It clarified that "the arrests took place in Baghdad, Babil, Al-Diwaniyah, Muthanna, and Diyala, where they were found in possession of various narcotics and drugs."

The suspects were referred to the relevant authorities.

Last May, the Interior Ministry's spokesperson, Brigadier Miqdad Miri, described drug trafficking as a "critical threat" to Iraq's national security, vowing that authorities would maintain "high pressure" on drug networks.

Iraq's drug problem has reached critical levels. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the country has become a major transit route for illegal drugs.

Iraq has over 3,637 kilometers of land border with Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Turkiye. Its strategic location means that it is also a conduit for the flow of drugs between Southwest Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, and Europe.

In a 2024 report by the UNODC titled: Drug Trafficking Dynamics Across Iraq and the Middle East: Trends and Responses, Iraq and neighboring countries found that Iraq is at risk of becoming an increasingly important node in the drug trafficking ecosystem spanning the Near and Middle East.

"Within Iraq, drugs are trafficked along three key internal corridors, including in the north, central, and southern regions of the country." The report pointed out.

Iraq established its first drug law and commission in 2017 and launched a National Strategy on Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances (2023–2025) in 2023. Moreover, Iraq organized the first regional event on the issue in 2023 to accelerate collaboration and coordinate drug detection and disruption efforts.

In December 2023, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani made a controversial statement urging the president of the country to ratify all death sentences for convicted drug traffickers.

He said this is necessary to "implement the law and be a deterrent to anyone who dares to threaten the security of the country and its people."