Seized narcotic pills are displayed after Iraqi border forces intercepted two aerial balloons used in a drug smuggling attempt along the international border in Anbar governorate.
Iraq executed 349 people on drug-related charges in three years, ministry says
BAGHDAD — Iraq carried out 349 death sentences and issued 1,325 life imprisonment rulings in drug-related cases between 2023 and 2026, the Interior Ministry said Thursday.
Ministry spokesperson Col. Abbas al-Bahadli said authorities also dismantled 1,538 trafficking networks during the period, including 234 transnational operations, and carried out 61 operations outside the country. Thirty-six contact points with countries worldwide were activated to enhance intelligence cooperation, and 151 international arrest warrants were issued against individuals wanted by the judiciary.
The figures reflect the work of the General Directorate for Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances over the three-year period, Bahadli said.
Drug trafficking and use have increased in Iraq in recent years, driven by its position along regional transit routes and growing domestic demand. Authorities say the country has shifted from primarily a transit corridor to a consumer market, with substances including methamphetamine and Captagon becoming more widespread. Officials link the rise to economic pressures, porous borders and organized crime activity.