140 death sentences issued this year
Iraq intensifies crackdown on drug trafficking with death, life sentences
BAGHDAD – The Iraqi Ministry of Interior has issued 140 death sentences for drug dealers since the start of the year, along with 500 life sentences, officials report.
“The efforts to combat drug trafficking, which poses a threat to community security, have been significant,” Muqdad Miri, the ministry’s spokesperson, told Al-Sabah, a state-owned newspaper.
Iraq, known as a transit hub for drugs from Iran and Pakistan destined for Gulf states, has recently become a market for narcotics like crystal meth from Afghanistan and Iran, and Captagon pills from Syria, noted Khaled Al-Mahna, the director of communications and media at the ministry.
The Second Baghdad International Conference on Combating Drugs was held recently, with participation from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt. Miri highlighted the conference’s success, stating it “achieved positive results through the exchange of information between participating countries to combat and fight this crime.”
Miri also pointed out other key achievements, including the establishment of compulsory rehabilitation centers for drug addicts. Fifteen such centers are now operational across Baghdad and other provinces.
The Ministry announced at the end of 2021 that Basra and Maysan were leading in drug trafficking and consumption within the country.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, there has been a significant increase in drug trafficking and consumption in Iraq over the past five years. In the first half of 2024 alone, nearly two tons of various narcotics were seized, and approximately 8,000 individuals linked to drug trafficking were arrested.
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