'Cooperation and unity of purpose'
Preparatory meetings begin for second Baghdad drug control summit
BAGHDAD — Preparatory meetings for the second Baghdad International Conference on Drug Control commenced on Saturday. Scheduled for July 22, the meetings include representatives from Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt.
“The preparatory meetings for the international delegations participating in the second Baghdad International Conference on Drug Control have started today in the capital, Baghdad, under the slogan ‘Through Cooperation and Unity of Purpose, We Eliminate Drugs,'” the Iraq’s Ministry of Interior said in a statement.
Iraq, which had been primarily a transit country for drugs from Iran and Pakistan destined for Gulf states, has become a destination in recent years. This shift has led to a more complex and dangerous drug trade environment, challenging Iraqi authorities.
The meetings, expected to continue on July 20 and 21, bring together a group of Arab and regional countries. The conference is set to be held on July 22, where the proposed agendas will be discussed in the presence of directors of drug control agencies from various countries and related personalities and entities.
Sources from the Ministry of Interior told 964media that the upcoming conference will lead to the announcement of a regional system for tracking and dismantling narcotics trafficking networks across the region, with its headquarters based in Baghdad. The Ministry of Interior told 964media that cooperation with participating countries has led to the dismantling of major international narcotics trafficking networks in the region.
In the first half of 2024, Iraqi authorities seized nearly two tons of various narcotic substances, including crystal meth, Captagon, heroin, tramadol, hashish, opium, and cocaine. Additionally, around 8,000 individuals involved in narcotics trafficking were arrested. This reflects a slight decrease compared to the same period in 2023. In 2023, over 15 tons of psychotropic substances were confiscated, and more than 19,000 people were arrested on drug-related charges.
Iraqi law imposes severe penalties for drug trafficking, including death in extreme cases. The Central Criminal Court in Baghdad recently sentenced seven people, including a foreign national, to death for drug trafficking. The Babil Criminal Court also sentenced a dealer to life in prison for possessing and intending to sell crystal meth and other narcotics. Notably, crystal meth, which had been smuggled in from Iran, is now produced domestically, especially in the southern governorates of Basra and Maysan. This production is allegedly overseen by networks linked to influential political and tribal groups, as well as militias.
Iraq has signed several bilateral agreements with its neighbors to bolster counter-narcotics efforts. In February 2024, the interior ministers of Iraq, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon held a meeting in Amman where they agreed to establish a joint communications cell. This cell is designed to facilitate cooperation and information sharing among these countries to combat the rise in narcotics trafficking and abuse. Despite these efforts, several challenges remain. The porous borders, the involvement of militias, and the socio-economic conditions in the region continue to hamper progress.
Drug bust in Baghdad sees eight suspects arrested
Iraqi authorities arrest two in aerial drug smuggling operation
