Iraqi National Security Service personnel detain individuals accused of entering the country illegally during a nighttime operation in Diyala, taken from video published by INSS.
Iraq detains 194 in major smuggling operations in Diyala and Kirkuk
DIYALA/KIRKUK — Iraq’s National Security Service said Friday it had foiled two of the country’s largest attempts to smuggle foreign nationals, detaining 194 people in operations in Diyala and Kirkuk governorates.
In a statement, the service said, “The National Security Service foiled the largest two attempts to smuggle foreigners and detained 194 individuals.”
Acting on intelligence from the Diyala Security Directorate, a tactical unit ambushed a truck traveling between Diyala and Baghdad. “The operation resulted in seizing a concealed truck loaded with cement bags meant to appear as construction materials, but it was hiding 125 foreign nationals inside,” the statement said.
Confessions from those detained led security forces to a hideout in Kirkuk governorate. In coordination with the Kirkuk Security Directorate, they raided the site and “detained 69 foreign nationals,” according to the statement.
The National Security Service said all detainees were transferred to the competent authorities for legal procedures.
Earlier this year, Iraq’s Interior Ministry reported that border forces in Sulaymaniyah governorate arrested 10 people of various Asian nationalities for attempting to cross illegally into the Kurdistan Region, part of what it described as ongoing efforts to combat smuggling and unauthorized entry.