Baghdad bust: Major drug dealer arrested

Shafaq News/ Iraqi security forces arrested a suspected high-profile drug dealer in southern Baghdad, a police source revealed on Wednesday.

“The suspect, known by the alias ‘Kronji,’ was apprehended in the Al-Zaafaraniya district,” the source told Shafaq News, adding that a security team tracked the suspect for several hours before carrying out a carefully planned ambush.

Iraq’s Ministry of Interior reports thousands of arrests annually related to drug trafficking, abuse, and distribution. Yesterday, the police arrested 10 travelers including five foreign nationals for possessing narcotics at four border crossings.

Additionally, the Al-Rusafa Police Command announced arresting three suspects—one dealer and two distributors—caught in the act on March 17.

The country recorded a 15% decline in overall crime rates in 2024 compared to the previous year, with trafficking cases dropping 18% to 2,500 from 3,050 in 2023. Drug use cases fell 15%, with 4,000 recorded compared to 4,700 a year earlier, according to the Strategic Center for Human Rights in Iraq.