Medical supplies seized after smuggling attempt at Iraq’s Umm Qasr port

BASRA — The Iraq’s Border Ports Commission announced Saturday the seizure of medical supplies intended for smuggling at Umm Qasr port.

Commission spokesperson Ala Al-Din Al-Qaisi said in a statement: “The Directorate of the Northern Umm Qasr Port managed to seize two containers at the inspection and investigation point outside the customs zone.”

He added: “The containers held various medical supplies hidden behind authorized materials and were intended for smuggling, as they lacked import approvals from the Ministry of Health and had no evidence of compliance with Iraqi standards or suitability for medical use.”

Authorities documented the incident and referred the containers to the North Umm Qasr Customs Police Station for legal action.

Umm Qasr is a port city in southern Iraq, in Basra Governorate, within the Al‑Zubair District. It is very close to the border with Kuwait, separated by a small inlet.

Earlier this month, authorities at the Shalamcheh border crossing in Basra arrested a foreign traveler after discovering narcotics concealed inside a water filter. The border crossing directorate said the traveler was found with approximately half a kilogram of crystal meth and several Tramadol pills, which were “hidden professionally” in the filter in an apparent attempt to smuggle them into Iraq.