Five arrested in Maysan on drug trafficking charges

MAYSAN — Iraq’s military intelligence announced on Sunday the arrest of five drug dealers and distributors in Maysan governorate following surveillance of their movements.

The directorate said in a statement that its forces from the Intelligence and Security Division carried out the operation. Arrest warrants had been issued against the suspects under Articles 28 and 32 of the Iraqi Narcotics Law.

The detainees were referred to judicial authorities to complete legal procedures.

Last month, Iraq’s Interior Ministry said it has dismantled hundreds of narcotics networks, seized millions of pills and secured 300 death sentences against traffickers over the past two and a half years, describing the results as the most extensive in the country’s history.

In the first quarter of 2025, authorities arrested 3,006 individuals for drug-related crimes, and courts issued 973 sentences, according to an April report from the General Directorate. Iraq’s 2023 figures included more than 19,000 arrests, 15 tons of narcotics seized, and at least 17 suspects killed in clashes with security forces. Between January and August 2024, courts issued 140 death sentences and 500 life sentences tied to drug offenses.