Over 100kg narcotics seized in Erbil

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The security forces in Erbil province have confiscated more than 100 kilograms of narcotics, including the popular Captagon pills.

The forces also seized five slot machines along with the narcotics, including 101kg of Captagon pills, 5.5kg crystal methamphetamine, and 600 grams of heroin, Arkan Bibani, an officer at the Directorate of Combatting Narcotics, announced in a press conference on Thursday.

The narcotics are trafficked from “neighboring countries” by smugglers, Bibani said, refusing claims that the political parties are behind the illicit activity.

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.

Captagon pills, a methamphetamine-like stimulant, have become increasingly popular in Iraq in recent years.

Users feel mild euphoria after taking Captagon pills. The use of the drug leads to various health problems, including high blood pressure, hallucinations, and blurred vision. Irritability and fatigue are also the two most common withdrawal symptoms of Captagon.

Last year, Iraqi forces forced a glider carrying one million Captagon pills to land in Basra. The pills were allegedly being flown through Iraqi airspace to a neighboring country.

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.