Iraq steps up anti-drug operations: mass arrests and major seizures
Shafaq News/ Iraqi authorities conducted this week a series of targeted operations that resulted in multiple arrests and narcotics seizures across the country.
The Drug Affairs Directorate in Basra announced on Thursday the confiscation of five kilograms of crystal meth and hashish, along with the arrest of 10 suspected traffickers, including six foreign nationals.
The police also dismantled two gangs involved in drug trafficking and armed robbery, further disrupting criminal networks operating in the region.
Authorities in Dhi Qar ambushed and captured two traffickers, seizing over 1,000 Captagon pills.
The security forces in Najaf tracked down and arrested two suspected traffickers, confiscating over a kilogram of crystal meth. Both suspects remain in custody as investigations continue.
In Baghdad, the Al-Rusafa Police Command reported the arrest of three individuals—a dealer and two distributors—who were caught in the act a day earlier.
Border security measures have also been reinforced. On Tuesday, authorities apprehended 10 travelers at four different crossings for possessing narcotics, five of whom were foreign nationals.
Despite the challenges posed by Iraq's strategic location along major smuggling routes, government measures appear to be yielding results. The Strategic Center for Human Rights in Iraq reported a 15% decline in overall crime in 2024 compared to the previous year. Drug trafficking cases fell by 18%, from 3,050 in 2023 to 2,500, while drug use cases declined by 15%, from 4,700 to 4,000.
