Authorities seize 3 kilograms of narcotics at Arar border crossing

ANBAR — Authorities at the Arar border crossing in Anbar announced the seizure of 3 kilograms of narcotics hidden inside a vehicle with foreign license plates driven by an Iraqi national.

In a statement, the Arar border directorate said the drugs were concealed in a “professional manner” in an attempt to smuggle them into Iraq.

Officials prepared a formal seizure report in coordination with relevant agencies. The suspect and vehicle were referred to the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Division at the Arar crossing, and the case was forwarded to the investigative judge at the Rutba Court for legal proceedings.

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

On July 30, Interior Minister Abdul Amir Al-Shammari announced the dismantling of a major cross-border trafficking ring, resulting in the seizure of more than 1.35 million Captagon pills in coordination with Syrian security forces. The operation, carried out under Iraqi judicial warrants, was described as a significant blow to one of the region’s most dangerous drug networks.

Iraq’s General Directorate of Narcotics Affairs said it confiscated 250 kilograms of drugs and arrested 59 international dealers in September. In the first quarter of 2025, 3,006 individuals were arrested for drug-related crimes, and courts issued 973 sentences, according to an April report. Between January and August 2024, courts issued 140 death sentences and 500 life sentences tied to drug offenses.