Police arrest 12 suspected drug traffickers in Iraq’s Baghdad and Maysan
Shafaq News– Baghdad/ Maysan
Iraqi security forces arrested 12 suspected drug dealers and traffickers on Friday during coordinated operations in Baghdad and Maysan provinces.
In a statement, the Military Intelligence Directorate noted that its units detained nine suspects in Baghdad, including a woman, based on “accurate intelligence information and sustained field efforts,” seizing quantities of narcotics found in their possession.
Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry announced that anti-narcotics units in Maysan province, southern Iraq, arrested three wanted individuals and seized approximately and seized one kilogram of crystal meth. One of the detainees experienced a sudden deterioration in health shortly after arrest procedures and died while being transferred to a medical facility to receive emergency treatment.
Interior Minister Abdul Amir Al-Shammari ordered the formation of a specialized investigative committee to determine the circumstances surrounding the death and to take the necessary legal measures in line with established procedures.
The Interior Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to respecting human rights and maintaining professional conduct in dealing with all detainees, while continuing its campaign against drug trafficking.
Earlier today, Iraq arrested members of a transnational drug trafficking network in a joint operation with Syrian authorities, seizing about 2.5 million Captagon pills.
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime identifies Iraq’s western and southern corridors, particularly Al-Anbar, as major transit routes for captagon trafficking from neighboring countries.
Read more: The Smuggler's Almanac: Iraq's war against narco-innovation
Iraq’s Interior Ministry earlier reported dismantling 1,201 drug networks over the past three years, including 171 international groups. Nationwide operations have seized more than 14 tons of narcotics, with courts issuing 2,318 rulings against offenders, including 300 death sentences and 1,147 life sentences.
Read more: Iraq fights back against synthetic drug flood engulfing the Middle East
