Kurdistan police close 56 pharmacies, drug stores, clinics in Erbil since new year

Kurdish police on Wednesday announced that they had closed 56 drug stores, pharmacies, and clinics in the province of Erbil since the beginning of 2019.

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdish police on Wednesday announced that they had closed 56 drug stores, pharmacies, and clinics in the province of Erbil since the beginning of 2019 for violating laws and instructions the local government had issued.

The Director-General of Erbil Police, Abdul-Khaliq Tal’at, provided the data during a press conference in the capital of the autonomous Kurdistan Region.

Since the beginning of the year, 22 criminals in Erbil had committed eight crimes, he said.

The owners of pharmacies and drug stores had been punished and charged IQD 90 million (USD 75,630), Tal’at noted.

Police also destroyed six tons of various drugs and medicines which were expired or illegally smuggled to the Kurdistan Region.

Erbil police noted that they arrested 35 people who violated laws and municipality instructions.

According to the police director, they destroyed 18 houses, shops, and walls that were built illegally or were built outside of their land boundaries. The director also said they closed six casinos and arcades in the city.

They also shut down 21 companies and locations for selling unlicensed agricultural drugs and confiscated two tons of those expired drugs.

Additionally, police closed 11 unlicensed traveling and airline companies in the Kurdistan Region capital.

Authorities regularly launch similar operations in Erbil to ensure companies and shop owners show commitment and abide by the laws and instructions the government issues.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany