Iraq, Syria joint operation nets 4 wanted suspects, 200,000 Captagon pills

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s General Directorate for Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances said Monday it arrested four internationally wanted individuals and seized 200,000 Captagon pills in a joint operation carried out in coordination with Syrian authorities.

Ziyad al-Qaisi, the directorate’s spokesperson, said in a statement that the operation was conducted under directives from Interior Minister Abdulamir al-Shammari and supervised by the director general of the narcotics directorate. He said the arrests followed security and intelligence cooperation between Iraq and Syria.

Al-Qaisi said Iraqi authorities provided Syrian counterparts with detailed intelligence compiled through coordination between the directorate and the National Intelligence Service, leading to the apprehension of four alleged international drug traffickers and the confiscation of the Captagon.

Iraq has faced growing pressure from narcotics trafficking in recent years, with officials describing the country as shifting from a transit route into a consumer market and a redistribution hub. Authorities have stepped up border and internal operations, reporting rising seizures and arrests tied to smuggling networks and local distribution.