ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi intelligence on Friday seized over two million narcotic pills in the country’s capital of Baghdad, during a crackdown which saw the arrest of “major” drug traffickers linked to an “international network.”
“The National Intelligence Agency dismantled an international network specialized in drug trafficking, seizing more than two million narcotic pills,” Iraq’s Security Media Cell announced in a statement on X, without specifying what type of pills.
According to the statement the suspects were linked to an international drug trafficking network, and were planning to distribute the pills across several Iraqi provinces.
“The apprehended individuals and the confiscated items were subsequently referred to the relevant authorities,” read the statement.
The rate of drug addicts and dealers has been on an alarming rise in Iraq in recent years, despite strict measures taken by the Iraqi government to curb the phenomenon.
In mid-July, Iraq’s Rapid Response Forces and the General Directorate of Narcotics Control carried out what was labeled as the country’s first seizure of a captagon laboratory, in Muthanna province.
Prior to that Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani ordered the establishment of rehabilitation centers in all Iraqi provinces, excluding the Kurdistan Region, as part of his cabinet’s commitment to combating growing drug trade and use as seriously as the country fights terrorism.
In October, Iraqi security forces announced disbanding two “dangerous” drug-trafficking networks south of the country, arresting at least five suspects and seizing nearly 2,000 captagon pills.”
