Iraq dismantles more than 650 drug trafficking networks in two-year crackdown

NAJAF — Iraq has dismantled nearly 656 drug trafficking networks, both domestic and international, over the past two years in what authorities say is the country’s most extensive campaign yet against narcotics-related crime.

Brig. Gen. Miqdad Miri, spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior, told 964media that the milestone reflects Iraq’s growing role in the international fight against drug trafficking. “We dismantled nearly 656 drug trafficking networks—both domestic and international—over the past two years,” he said. “This is the highest number ever recorded in Iraq’s fight against this crime.”

He said the achievement comes amid closer regional and global coordination. “After Iraq received praise from the General Secretariat of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers for its measures to combat drug crimes, which are considered transnational crimes, we were granted the opportunity to participate in the Vienna conference,” Miri said, referring to a recent international anti-narcotics summit held in Austria.

Iraq was represented at the event by the General Directorate for Drug Control, which outlined the country’s enforcement strategy and provided data on arrests and network disruptions. “These efforts were recognized internationally—not just through words, but through data and field results,” Miri said.

Drug trafficking remains a growing concern in Iraq, particularly along the southern border regions where smuggling routes from neighboring countries have become more active in recent years. Iraqi authorities have intensified crackdowns, focusing not only on arrests but also on international intelligence-sharing and cross-border cooperation.

Miri said recent progress marks a significant shift. “The numbers speak for themselves. We hope to maintain this momentum in field operations until we eliminate this threat completely.”