Iraq steps up drug crackdown with severe punishments

Shafaq News – Baghdad / Wasit

On Sunday, Iraq issued death sentences and long prison terms for six drug traffickers, according to the Supreme Judicial Council.

The Al-Karkh Criminal Court in Baghdad sentenced three individuals to death for drug trafficking after authorities seized one kilogram of methamphetamine intended for distribution.

In Wasit, the Criminal Court handed three people 15-year prison terms for trafficking 250 grams of crystal methamphetamine, also intended for sale.

By the end of 2024, the Iraqi Interior Ministry dismantled 600 domestic and international drug trafficking networks, referring members to the judiciary for prosecution. In 2023, more than 7,000 people were convicted of drug-related offenses, receiving sentences ranging from prison terms to the death penalty.

Iraq has long served as a transit route for drugs from Afghanistan and Iran to Europe and Gulf states. However, since the 2003 US-led overthrow of Saddam Hussein’s government, the country has also seen a rise in domestic drug consumption amid ongoing security and economic challenges.