Security

Nine major drug traffickers arrested: KRG narcotics unit

The Directorate said in a statement that in total, 452 kilograms of Captagon pills and 51 kilograms of opium were seized throughout the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.‎

Kurdistan 24 2023/08/06 21:28

The Captagon pills and opiates seized by the KRG's Anti-Narcotics Directorate, Aug. 6, 2023 (Photo: Kurdistan 24)

Kurdistan Narcotics Security Captagon

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - The Kurdistan Region Security Council’s Anti-Narcotics Directorate on Sunday announced the arrest of nine drug traffickers and the seizure of large quantities of narcotics throughout Iraq in multiple, major security operations with the cooperation of Iraqi drug enforcement agencies.‎

The Directorate said in a statement that in total, 452 kilograms of Captagon pills and 51 kilograms of opium were seized in operations throughout the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.‎

With the help of the Kurdistan Region’s Directorate General of Counter-Terrorism (CTD) and various federal Iraqi security agencies, the Anti-Narcotics Directorate was able to arrest three drug traffickers on Aug. 6, 2023.

Subsequent investigations into the three suspects revealed that they are members of international drug cartels with full knowledge of several hidden drug warehouses inside Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.‎ Along with the arrests, the authorities seized 236 kilograms of Captagon tablets and 36 kilograms of opium.‎

‎Moreover, in separate operations performed in Rabia and Anbar Provinces, the Iraqi Ministry of Interior announced the arrest of six merchants and the seizure of 216 kilograms of Captagon tablets and 15 kilograms of opium.‎

The Iraqi Ministry of Interior also noted that the origins of the narcotics are connected to international cartels with production factories in countries neighboring Iraq, and that these cartels form smuggling routes through Iraq in order to arrive in the Gulf countries—their main market.

Kurdistan 24 previously reported that 80% of drug users in the Kurdistan Region are between 18 and 35 years old. 10% of drug users are women and 4% are under 18 years old.

Earlier in April 2023, the KRG's Ministry of Finance and Economy established a Drug and Psychotropic Substances Fund to provide treatments for substance abusers and financial rewards to those who turn in illegal drugs to local authorities.