Kuwait hands over eight drug trafficking suspects to Iraq

BAGHDAD – Kuwait has handed over eight individuals wanted in Iraq on charges of drug trafficking on Tuesday, officials confirmed.

In a statement, the Iraqi Ministry of Interior announced, “Through exceptional efforts by prime ,inister and commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, and Minister of Interior Abdul Amir Al-Shammari, and with continuous follow-up with Arab and friendly countries, the Ministry of Interior successfully secured the extradition of eight dangerous drug traffickers involved in international drug networks who were in Kuwaiti custody.”

The extradition was the result of coordination between Iraqi and Kuwaiti officials, as part of ongoing agreements and treaties focused on the exchange of wanted individuals between the two countries.

The Second Baghdad International Conference on Combating Drugs was held in late-July, bringing together representatives from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt, aiming to regional cooperation in combating drug trafficking.

The ministry emphasized that efforts to extradite wanted criminals will continue. The ministry pledged pursuit of fugitives, regardless of the severity of their crimes, ensuring their eventual imprisonment.

The ministry affirmed its commitment to “enforcing the law impartially”, with unwavering support from the Iraqi judiciary, and vowed to continue its pursuit of “justice without exception”.

Iraq has seen a rise in drug-related crimes in recent years, 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.

Iraqi interior ministry issues clarification on extradition of Kuwaiti citizen