Kurdistan destroys over half a ton of narcotics

Shafaq News – Erbil

On Sunday, Kurdistan’s Security Service (Asayish) burned more than 600 kilograms of seized narcotics and psychotropic substances in Erbil, part of nearly 1.9 tons confiscated in recent anti-drug operations.

At a press conference, Officer Arkan Omar said the stockpile included multiple types of drugs and pills confiscated during raids on traffickers and users.

The announcement followed Labor and Social Affairs Minister Kwestan Mohammed's warnings that Kurdistan has become a key transit point for narcotics moving toward neighboring states and Canada. She recalled that Iraq and the Region were considered largely drug-free before 2003, but rising flows from Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan have turned the area into a trafficking corridor.

Official figures released by the ministry show 5,746 arrests in June alone, with 1,576 linked to drug offenses—1,486 men and 81 women—illustrating how deeply the trade has penetrated society. Mohammed urged a comprehensive strategy bringing together security, judicial, health, and education bodies to confront the threat.