Middle East
Pictures of the suspected drug traffickers arrested in Saudi Arabia in September 2025 and the confiscated liquid methamphetamine. Photos: Submitted. Graphic: Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Intelligence from Kurdistan Region’s security forces led to the arrest of two major international drug traffickers and the seizure of 142 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine worth $1.27 million in Saudi Arabia, officials said Monday.
Saudi media reported on Saturday that a Saudi-Iraqi cooperation had led to the arrest of two people trying to smuggle 142 kilos of methamphetamine in the Islamic holy city of Medina. The drug was hidden in big buses transporting pilgrims from Iraq to Saudi Arabia.
Salam Abdulkhaliq, spokesman for the Sulaimani-based internal security forces (Asayish), told Rudaw on Monday that "the operation was based on our detailed intelligence.” However, the Saudi authorities have not acknowledged the role of the Kurdish security forces.
The two suspects, both from Iraq's Salahaddin province, jointly owned a private company organizing Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages and had been trafficking drugs for nearly six years between Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and several Gulf countries.
"They transported materials to Saudi Arabia through special Hajj and Umrah passes," Abdulkhaliq said, highlighting how the suspects exploited religious pilgrimage routes for drug smuggling.
Abbas Bahadli, spokesman for Iraq's Interior Ministry, told reporters on Sunday that the arrests took place in the Saudi city of Medina following "high-level coordination” with Saudi authorities.
The liquid methamphetamine was discovered hidden inside one of the suspects' buses during the coordinated operation.
"Under the direct supervision of the Interior Minister and following cooperation and efforts by the General Directorate of Counter-Narcotics in Sulaimani province, two major international dealers were arrested," Bahadli announced at a press conference, acknowledging the role of the Kurdish security forces in Sulaimani.
Before the arrests, the Saudi authorities had requested that a representative from Sulamani’s counter-narcotics office travel to the kingdom to assist with the investigation into this case and other related trafficking operations, according to Abdulkhaliq.
Following the operation, Saudi authorities have tightened security along the border with Iraq, thoroughly inspecting every pilgrimage bus before granting entry. This has resulted in significant delays at the border crossings.
The bust underscores growing international cooperation in combating drug trafficking in the region, with Kurdish security forces playing an increasingly important role in cross-border operations.
Abdulkhaliq assured that the Kurdistan Region's security forces would continue international coordination "to eradicate drug trafficking and arrest dealers" across the region.
Iraqi authorities seized 500 grams of drugs being smuggled into the country across the border with Iran, the General Authority of Customs announced on Saturday. The drugs were seized three days after Iraq and Iran had a meeting in Baghdad about cooperating to combat drug trafficking.
In recent years, Iraqi authorities have stepped up their fight against drug trafficking. The country, once mostly a transit route, has increasingly become a destination for narcotics - prompting alarm among officials and the public.
On August 20, Iraq’s interior ministry lauded the country as a “regional leader” in combating drugs, saying that authorities continue providing intelligence on international drug networks to combat the phenomenon.
Iraq is placed third among 138 countries for combating drugs, according to World Police Summit rankings.
Malik Mohammed contributed to this article.
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