Drug trafficker in Maysan sentenced to life imprisonment

MAYSAN — The Maysan Criminal Court issued a life imprisonment sentence on Thursday against a man convicted of drug trafficking after authorities found one kilogram of methamphetamine mixed with aluminum sulfate in his possession.

In a statement, the Judiciary’s media office said, “The Maysan Criminal Court sentenced a drug dealer to life imprisonment for the crime of trafficking narcotic substances.”

The convict was found with over 1 kilogram of a mixture containing methamphetamine and aluminum sulfate, intended for sale and distribution among users.

The court’s ruling was issued under Article 28/First of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law No. 50 of 2017.

Iraq has experienced a rise in drug-related crimes, prompting authorities to enforce stricter measures. By November 2024, nearly 8,000 people had been arrested on drug-related charges since the start of the year, with around 2.2 tons of narcotics confiscated. By August, the Ministry of Interior had reported issuing 140 death sentences and 500 life sentences.

In 2023, authorities arrested over 19,000 individuals for drug-related offenses and seized more than 15 tons of psychotropic substances. The Ministry of Interior also reported that at least 17 drug suspects were killed in clashes with security forces during that year.