Foreign traveler arrested for alleged meth possession

ZURBATIYA — A foreign traveler was apprehended on Saturday at the Zurbatiya border crossing for allegedly attempting to smuggle 230 grams of crystal meth into the country, as per a statement from the Border Ports Authority relayed by 964media.

The arrest was made under the guidance of Lt. Gen. Omar Adnan Al-Waeli, the head of the Border Ports Authority, who has emphasized the importance of rigorous inspection procedures for travelers and the battle against drug trafficking. The Directorate of the Zurbatiya border crossing, leveraging the efforts of the port’s protection force, the narcotics division, and the technical division, detected the crystal meth in the suspect’s possession before she could enter the passport hall, marking the operation as a thwarted smuggling attempt.

The Zurbatiya border crossing is not only a critical commercial conduit, facilitating significant trade between Iraq and Iran, but also plays a pivotal role in religious tourism. It is one of the key entry points for thousands of pilgrims, especially Shia Muslims, traveling to and from Iraq to visit holy sites in cities such as Najaf and Karbala, underscoring its importance in both economic and spiritual contexts.

The incident led to formal documentation of the seizure, and the individual, along with the seized narcotics, was handed over to the Badra Drug Enforcement Division to undergo legal proceedings.