Iraq's crackdown on drug trafficking: 230 networks taken down, 28 tons of drugs seized

Shafaq News/ On Thursday, Fadel Al-Gharawi, Head of the Strategic Center for Human Rights in Iraq, revealed that the Interior Ministry has dismantled 230 drug trafficking networks, including 27 international ones.

Al-Gharawi stated, “Over the past three years, 43,000 individuals have been arrested for drug trafficking and possession, including 150 foreigners.”

“The General Directorate for Drug Affairs seized over 28 tons of drugs and psychotropic substances, along with millions of pills.” He added, “Drug use in underprivileged areas stands at 17%, with the highest users aged 15-30. Crystal meth is the most commonly used drug at 37.3%, followed by Captagon at 34.35%, and other types at 28.35%.”

Iraq destroyed 5,000 tons of drugs and psychotropic substances, 54 million pills, 31,000 ampoules, and 9,000 bottles in 2022, while in 2023, it disposed of 2 tons, 118 kilograms, and 386 grams of drugs, along with 4,934,132 pills. In 2024, the country further destroyed 42,322 kilograms and 390 milligrams of various drugs and 772 pills.

In this context, Al-Gharawi urged the government to establish rehabilitation centers for addicts, either governmental, private, or through investment, following international standards.

With human rights organizations arguing that capital punishment is not an effective deterrent and fails to address the root causes of drug abuse, such as poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to treatment, the lawmaker called on the parliament and government “to expedite amendments to the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Law No. 50 of 2017, focusing on treatment and prevention, revising penalties for drug traffickers, and treating users as patients needing care rather than being stigmatized.”

Additionally, Dr. Al-Gharawi urged the government, community organizations, educational and religious institutions, media, and civil society groups to launch drug prevention campaigns, enhance intelligence and security efforts, target organized crime gangs, and strengthen regional cooperation to prevent drug trafficking into Iraq.

For decades, Iraq was a transit route for drugs from Afghanistan and Iran to Europe and the Gulf states, but since the 2003 regime change, it has become a major consumer of various drugs.

Driven by geopolitical position, ongoing conflicts, and economic instability, drug trafficking in Iraq has escalated significantly. In response, Iraqi authorities have intensified their crackdown, arresting hundreds of domestic and international drug dealers in the first eight months of 2024.