Erbil Security Forces Arrest Suspect Accused of Stealing 500 Million Iraqi Dinars in Baghdad
The fugitive was captured after fleeing to Erbil and attempting to conceal the stolen funds by converting them into U.S. dollars, authorities say.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Security forces in Erbil have arrested a man accused of stealing 500 million Iraqi dinars (approximately $382,000) from a residence in Baghdad before fleeing to the Kurdistan Region in an attempt to evade arrest, according to a statement issued Saturday by the Erbil Asayish (Security Directorate).
The suspect, identified by his initials (A.N.A.), was detained following a warrant issued by an Erbil investigative judge. The Asayish said the man had fled Baghdad after committing the theft and had gone into hiding in Erbil, hoping to avoid detection.
“Following the receipt of preliminary intelligence, our specialized teams initiated search and surveillance operations,” the statement read. “Within a short period, we successfully located the suspect and apprehended him without incident.”
Authorities also seized $40,000 in cash during the arrest, which the suspect had reportedly converted from Iraqi dinars in an effort to obscure the source of the stolen money.
The arrest once again highlights the effectiveness and professionalism of the Kurdistan Region’s Asayish forces, whose swift action contrasts with the chronic inefficiencies often seen in Iraq’s federal security system.
While coordination with Baghdad’s Interior Ministry continues in select cases, Kurdish security agencies have consistently demonstrated greater discipline, transparency, and capability in tracking fugitives and combating organized crime.
Officials note that many suspects flee from federal-controlled areas to the Kurdistan Region, believing they can evade Iraq’s weak enforcement mechanisms — only to be swiftly apprehended by Kurdish authorities, whose intelligence operations remain among the most reliable in the country.
Iraq has seen a sharp rise in financial and property-related crimes amid ongoing economic pressures and high unemployment rates. The federal government has faced challenges in tackling large-scale theft and money-laundering schemes that often exploit weaknesses in the banking and legal systems.
In this context, the swift arrest in Erbil represents a notable success for regional authorities in maintaining law and order and deterring financial crimes that threaten economic stability and public trust.
The suspect remains in custody pending further investigation and coordination with judicial authorities in Baghdad to complete the legal procedures and return the stolen funds to their rightful owner.
