Court sentences drug trafficker to death for possession of 48 kilograms of methamphetamine

BAGHDAD – The Karkh Criminal Court in Baghdad sentenced a man to death on Sunday after finding him guilty of possessing 48 kilograms of methamphetamine intended for sale and distribution, the Judiciary’s Media Office said.

The statement said the defendant was arrested “with 48 kilograms of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking and selling it among users.” The ruling was issued under Article 27/First of the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Law No. 50 of 2017.

The sentence comes as Iraqi authorities intensify efforts to combat narcotics trafficking and distribution across the country.

Earlier this month, authorities at the Shalamcheh border crossing in Basra arrested a foreign traveler after discovering narcotics hidden inside a water filter.

On July 30, Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari announced the dismantling of a major cross-border drug network and the seizure of more than 1.35 million Captagon pills in cooperation with Syrian security forces. Officials described the raid as a major blow to one of the region’s most dangerous trafficking organizations.

The General Directorate of Narcotics Affairs said it seized 250 kilograms of drugs and arrested 59 international dealers in September. In the first quarter of 2025, 3,006 people were arrested for drug-related offenses, with courts issuing 973 sentences. Between January and August 2024, Iraqi courts handed down 140 death sentences and 500 life sentences linked to narcotics crimes.