Kurdistan Region forces seize large amounts of illegal drugs, paraphernalia in Erbil

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Anti-Narcotics Directorate in the Kurdistan Region’s capital province of Erbil announced on Tuesday that its forces had confiscated a sizeable amount of narcotics, other illegal drugs, and drug paraphernalia in a recent operation.

A statement released to the press detailed that anti-drug units were able to seize more than 26,000 pills of various prescription medications as well as 7,190 syringes commonly used in recreational narcotics use, as well as a variety of other controlled substances and drug-related items.

It added that the security forces, "based on continuous follow-up and accurate information," were able to arrest five suspects in connection with the seized contraband who had attempted to smuggle large quantities of the contraband into Erbil's borders.

The sale or consumption of unregulated narcotics is strictly prohibited in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.

Kurdish and Iraqi authorities often intercept shipments of drugs passing mainly through the provinces of Basra, Diyala, Erbil, and Sulaimani, specifically in the towns and villages connecting the autonomous federal region of Iraq with neighboring nations Iran and Turkey.

According to the directorate, security forces taking part in a separate operation were also able to "seize 9,384 boxes of drugs in the town of Khalifan, in Soran district, northeast of Erbil, an area not far from the Iranian border."

Another suspect was arrested inside his home while promoting the sale of multiple illicit substances through a fake social media account in Erbil.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) announced in June the arrest of 586 suspected drug dealers and users in the first half of 2020 to mark the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, observed annually on June 26.

Read More: Kurdistan announces nearly 600 drug arrests in first half of 2020; over 350 kg seized

Editing by John J. Catherine