Erbil security forces arrest a group accused of drug trafficking, possession

Suspects stand behind prohibited substances they are accused of having in their possession. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)
Suspects stand behind prohibited substances they are accused of having in their possession. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region’s Anti-Narcotics Directorate in the capital province of Erbil on Tuesday announced the arrest of 10 suspects being charged with drug trafficking or possession.

"Erbil’s security apparatus managed to arrest ten suspects today, Tuesday, with the confiscation of many types of narcotic substances in their possession," read a government statement.

It explained, "The confiscated narcotics amounted to 952 grams of opium, 300 grams of crystal, 210 grams of hashish, 104 strips of tramadol pills, 18 codeine pills," plus other contraband that included counterfeit Euros.

It should be noted that there is often confusion about the term "crystal" since it is commonly used as the local name for two different highly-addictive drugs. One is methamphetamine, known in much of the world as crystal meth, but it can also refer to high-purity street-level heroin, sometimes called kerack.

The statement specified that "the accused will face the court in accordance with Article 25 of the Narcotics Law."

Since the beginning of 2021, security forces attached to the Directorate "have impounded 214 kilograms of various banned substances, 556 kilograms of drug-laced tobacco, thousands of hallucinogenic pills, and 3,100 US dollars in counterfeit bills."

Read More: KRG destroys batch of illicit drugs on International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

The sale or consumption of illicit drugs is strictly prohibited in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, where 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.