WATCH: Kurdish security confiscates 50kg of heroin heading to Syria from Iran

Kurdish security confiscated some 50 kilograms of opioids at the Kurdistan Region’s border with Turkey which was on its way to Syria, authorities revealed on Friday.
kurdistan24.net

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdish security confiscated some 50 kilograms of opioids at the Kurdistan Region’s border with Turkey which was on its way to Syria, authorities revealed on Friday.

The shipment was heroin, which originally came from Iran and was smuggled through Turkey into the Kurdistan Region, Mergasor Asayish (security) told Kurdistan 24.

“This operation by security forces was expertly executed. We were already aware that a large shipment of drugs was heading to the Kurdistan Region, but we did not strike immediately. We wanted to arrest the individuals who were going to receive the shipment as well,” security officials said.

They mentioned they had made an arrest, and that the man who was to receive the shipment of heroin is from Zakho, a city in the northern province of Duhok.

Security officials did not offer further details on the operation, nor did they mention whether they were coordinating with Turkish border officials.

Kurdish Asayish often confiscates drugs and other illicit material transiting through the Kurdistan Region, mainly in Erbil and Sulaimani provinces. Most of it is smuggled to the Kurdistan Region through its borders with Iran.

Kurdish authorities regularly intercept shipments of opium, marijuana, crystal methamphetamines, and pills on their way to Turkey, Syria, and ultimately Europe.

Editing by Nadia Riva