Iraqi police arrest 10 in Babil drug bust

Shafaq News – Babil

Iraqi police arrested 10 suspects on Wednesday during a large-scale anti-drug operation in the Kifl district of Babil province, a police officer reported to Shafaq News.

The officer explained that the detainees were linked to local and international networks, as one suspect had foreign ties and smuggled narcotics into al-Hilla city for distribution across Babil.

Authorities seized large quantities of narcotics during the operation.

By the end of 2024, the Iraqi Interior Ministry had dismantled 600 domestic and international drug 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. Since the 2003 US-led overthrow of Saddam Hussein’s government, domestic drug use has also risen amid persistent security and economic challenges.