Joint task force by Baghdad, Erbil to combat drug trafficking in Iraq

Shafaq News / General Ahmed Al-Zarkani, the Director-General of Drug Affairs at the Federal Ministry of Interior, announced that the governments of Baghdad and Erbil have formed a unified task force to combat drug trafficking.

This marks the first time in Iraq's history for such collaborative efforts in the fight against drugs.

Al-Zarkani emphasized in statements released by the directorate, "the Prime Minister, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, is highly concerned about the drug file", highlighting that the successful seizure of 500 kilograms of narcotics in 2021, and an increased amount of 4 tons confiscated in the past year, 2023.

"In 2022, three individuals were sentenced to death, while in 2023, 50 drug traffickers received the death penalty," he added. Al-Zarkani pointed out that "for the first time in Iraq's history, there is very high coordination on the issue of combating drugs, specifically between the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government, forming a unified task force representing all of Iraq."