Police seize 17,500 Captagon pills, weapons in Anbar drug operation

ANBAR — Police in Anbar arrested a suspect on Wednesday for possession of approximately 17,500 Captagon pills and a cache of weapons, according to a statement from the Anbar Police Command.

Anti-crime units in Al-Qa’im apprehended the individual after receiving what the police described as “accurate information from trusted sources.” Authorities found the pills hidden inside the tires of the suspect’s personal vehicle. Officers also confiscated a number of light and medium weapons at the scene.

Police transferred the suspect to the relevant authorities to complete legal procedures.

Captagon trafficking has become a growing concern in Iraq, which officials say is increasingly being targeted as both a transit corridor and consumer market for synthetic drugs. Authorities have intensified cooperation with regional partners, including Syria, Lebanon, and Kuwait.

The Interior Ministry announced that on Sept. 27 Iraqi border guards intercepted a balloon carrying narcotics across the frontier, seizing 95,000 Captagon pills in what they called an unusual smuggling attempt.

On July 30, Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari announced the dismantling of a major cross-border trafficking ring and the seizure of more than 1.35 million Captagon pills in a joint operation with Syrian security forces. That raid was based on Iraqi judicial warrants and was described by the ministry as a major blow to one of the region’s most dangerous trafficking networks.