Two officials arrested over unauthorized chemical shipment at state-run factory

BAGHDAD — The Iraqi Federal Integrity Commission on Wednesday announced the arrest of two officials from the Al-Furat State Company for Chemical Industries in connection with the unauthorized entry of 15 tons of substandard sodium carbonate, which investigators say caused damage to public funds.

According to a statement from the commission, the company’s technical assistant to the general manager and the director of the soda and chlorine plant were detained under a judicial warrant. The arrests followed an investigation by the Babil Investigation Office, which visited the company’s headquarters in Musayyib district.

Authorities allege the shipment did not meet factory standards and had failed laboratory testing. “The inspection and receiving committee rejected the materials after they failed the test,” the commission said, adding that the shipment was not formally recorded in warehouse logs.

The plant director was arrested after admitting the shipment had been accepted at the instruction of the technical assistant to the general manager, who was later also detained.

Investigators also found that the purchasing committee had been pressured to buy the shipment from a private company allegedly linked to the arrested plant director. The commission stated that this transaction violated procurement rules and may have involved personal gain.

A seizure report was filed under Article 340 of the Iraqi Penal Code, which concerns abuse of public office resulting in harm to state interests. Both suspects were referred to the Hilla Investigative Court, which specializes in corruption cases.