Battawiyeen red-light District: prostitution, organized crime, and drugs.. Corrupt security officers pulling strings from behind

Shafaq News/ Strolling through the warren of narrow alleys and canals of Battawiyeen red-light district, downtown the Iraqi capital, a deep urge to relentlessly check your back pocket afflicts you. The promiscuous gazes of the sex workers flocks scattered on both sides of the road send chills through your spine as they attempt to sell their product.

This is the story of the three streets of the area, through which Shafaq News agency's correspondent toured after receiving countless stories about drug-dealing gangs, organized crime, human organ trafficking, prostitution, begging, suspicious acts, as well as unauthorized nightclubs.

It is “a city outside the limits of power”. This is what its residents and security sources revealed: mafias taking control and making deals with security leaders, and widespread corruption.

Some residents of the Battaween area told Shafaq News agency's correspondent that their area is atrociously infested with corruption because of the large number of brothels and liquor stores scattered between houses within the area, as well as the widespread drug dealing.

They said their neighborhood is sheltering many criminals and fugitives from the rest of Baghdad and other Iraqi governorates.

"The first three streets of the Battaween area, specifically, the beginning of Saadoun Street, on the eastern gate, are one of the most dangerous places in Baghdad, where gangs deploy to sell drugs and human organs," residents said, adding that many Syrian citizens are using these areas as a shelter and are working with begging, prostitution, and other suspicious acts.

"Members wearing security uniforms deal with these gangs, and take financial shares from liquor stores and those who work in these infested acts," residents said, adding, "There are women who work in prostitution, openly present in the main street of the area, with security members merely feet away from them, taking no step to interfere as if the matter has nothing to do with them."

"These women promote prostitution in certain houses within the area while the neighborhood's cafés help promote drugs."

The residents continued, "Those accused of such acts, even if they are arrested in sporadic security campaigns that are carried out from time to time, come out after a while and return to their activities again."

"Some of the forces that are in charge of the Battaween area cooperate with prostitution networks and drug traffickers," a private security source, who preferred to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of his information, told Shafaq News agency, adding that even if the top security leaders decide to carry out searches in this area, crime gangs are always pre-informed through many sources, rendering the inspection futile.

"In recent times, organized crime reduced. However, prostitution and drug trafficking have continued," the source said, adding, "Greed has prompted some of those who are affiliated with the security forces to allow alcohol shops to continue their trade during the months of Muharram and Ramadan, via security protection in exchange for money received by senior officers in the region."

"Since 2003, it has been very difficult to control gangs in this area, specifically in the three mentioned streets", the source continued, "Security operations that take place from time to time are mostly the result of rumors and financial differences between mafias in the region, and the reporting that reaches the security forces are always through anonymous people regarding cases related to narcotics and human trafficking operations."

The source concluded that the Battaween area is currently a shelter for the homeless and beggars, who work under the protection of influential parties, without revealing the party's name.