250 grams of marijuana
Karkh Criminal Court hands drug dealer life sentence
BAGHDAD — The Karkh Criminal Court sentenced a drug dealer to life imprisonment on Wednesday for trafficking narcotics, according to the judiciary’s media office.
The convict was found in possession of 250 grams of marijuana “intended for sale,” along with cash and an electronic scale. The ruling was issued under Article 27, Paragraph 1, of Iraq’s Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Law No. 50 of 2017.
The decision comes amid a surge in drug-related crimes across Iraq that has prompted officials to adopt stricter enforcement measures. 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.
By August, the Ministry of Interior had issued 140 death sentences and 500 life sentences related to drug offenses. In 2023, authorities arrested more than 19,000 people for drug offenses and seized over 15 tons of psychotropic substances, while at least 17 drug suspects were killed during clashes with security forces.
