Kurdistan Region authorities seize banned cancer-linked poultry drug, arrest 16 in Sulaimani

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Authorities in the Kurdistan Region have seized shipments of a banned veterinary drug allegedly used in a small number of poultry farms in Sulaimani province, as investigated in Rudaw's flagship program Lagal Ranj - “With Ranj” in Kurdish.

During Sunday’s episode, lead anchor Ranj Sangawi reported that the substance, identified as Furaltadone, had been imported in containers labeled “Super Max” and distributed to farms despite being prohibited by the Kurdistan Region's Ministry of Agriculture, according to a document obtained by Rudaw.

Furaltadone is a nitrofuran-class antibiotic that has been banned for use in food-producing animals in the United States and the European Union for decades because of evidence that its residues may be carcinogenic and mutagenic. International food safety authorities require zero tolerance for nitrofuran residues in meat and eggs intended for human consumption.

The Sulaimani-based Kurdistan Region's Security Agency (Asayish) confiscated the drug before chickens treated with it reached the market.

Karzan Sherko, spokesperson for the Asayish, told the program on Sunday that the chickens given the drug “were seized before they were put on the market,” adding that “the suspects - 16 people in total - have been arrested.”

The investigation reported that the drug was concealed in differently-labeled containers and passed through quality control procedures at the Kurdistan Region's border.

A veterinarian detained in connection with the case admitted using and distributing the drug.

“At first, I didn't realize it, but the second time when I found out, I told the poultry farm owner it was dangerous, but he said he would sell it. I used it and sold it myself,” he told Sangawi.

He added that pressure from the company owner influenced his actions. “I betrayed my profession and broke my oath,” he added, expressing remorse and stating that if released, he would not return to the work.

Another detainee, identified as the owner of a poultry medicine company, told Rudaw that they "brought two shipments and passed both of them; I don't know why they passed the inspection. It is banned if we don't change the bottles, but by God, I didn't know it was so harmful until I was arrested. They say it causes cancer in humans.”

He further claimed that the drug "is present in all major cities, districts, and sub-districts. There are also many other banned drugs."

Medical and food safety experts interviewed during the program warned of serious health risks.

“It has been proven in laboratories that it destroys DNA and is mutagenic. In animal testing, it has also been shown to cause cancer because it binds to the meat. It has been banned entirely,” said Dara Mohammed, a specialist in food analysis and quality control.

“In plain Kurdish, the tolerance for this drug must be zero percent,” he added.

Faraidoun Hamad Qadir, director of the animal health department at the Kurdistan Region’s ministry of agriculture, who was present in the program, confirmed that Furaltadone is officially banned.

“One of the drugs we have banned is Furaltadone. I commend the Asayish for arresting them; this control is a cause for praise and hope. That drug is a cause of cancer and destroys cells; any chicken it was given to must be destroyed through scientific methods,” he said.

However, he noted that his office had not yet received formal documentation regarding the specific case.

“So far, no official correspondence regarding this drug has been sent to the Ministry of Agriculture and no evidence has arrived, but if confirmed, the chickens will be destroyed through legal means,” he said.

Industry representatives sought to limit the scope of the issue.

Zryan Mustafa, deputy head of the Kurdistan Poultry Association, said that there are 2,010 poultry farms in the Kurdistan Region. Of these, "five or six farms used that drug.”

“We cannot say they are all bad. Only Formalin and Furaltadone have been banned by [government] decrees, and we have not used those drugs until now. Even some of those who used them did not know what the dangers were,” he added, arguing that only a small number of operators were involved.

Some poultry farm owners rejected broader allegations. Muhsin Ahmed, a farm owner, who was also present in the program, said that “this is all propaganda by butchers because there is a lot of competition between us.”

Yasa Shwan, a veterinarian, also said that most farms operate responsibly.

“Any farm supervised by a doctor, I do not believe would contain that drug. Because that chicken ends up on all of our tables; a person of conscience would not allow that drug to be given to anyone,” she said.

Officials from the ministry of agriculture said further inspections are planned. Qadir stated that they “will send a letter to Sulaimani [authorities] and task commissions to visit all clinics, companies, and warehouses. The commissions will not stand idly by and will conduct serious follow-ups.”

Authorities maintain that the shipments were seized before distribution and that treated chickens were prevented from entering the market, as investigations and legal proceedings continue.