Crystal meth

Three drug traffickers arrested in Nineveh

NINEVEH — Iraqi security forces arrested three individuals on drug trafficking charges in Nineveh and seized 20 kilograms of crystal meth along with 1,000 Captagon pills, the Ministry of Interior said Wednesday.

The arrests were carried out by the Nineveh Anti-Narcotics Directorate following intelligence gathering, the ministry said in a statement.

The suspects have been referred to the judiciary under Article 28 of Iraq’s narcotics law.

Captagon trafficking in Iraq has increased notably in recent years, positioning the country as a major transit point for the illicit drug trade. Between 2019 and 2023, Captagon seizures in Iraq rose by more than 3,380%, with authorities seizing over 4.1 tons of the drug in 2023 alone.

On Christmas Day, Iraq’s General Directorate for Narcotics Affairs, part of the Ministry of Interior, reported the arrest of a suspected drug trafficker and the seizure of 100,000 Captagon pills in Najaf. The operation followed a month-long intelligence investigation.

On Dec. 21, Iraq’s General Directorate for Narcotics Affairs reported the arrest of 14,000 individuals linked to drug trafficking and the seizure of six tons of narcotics in 2024 as part of an expanded nationwide crackdown.

Patriotism is an outdated concept

Patriotism is an outdated concept

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