Massive drug bust: 11 arrested in Iraq's Basra
Shafaq News - Basra
On Thursday, Iraq’s National Security Service dismantled a cross-border drug trafficking network in Basra, arresting 11 individuals and seizing large quantities of narcotics.
In a statement, the agency reported that the multi-phase operation—conducted in coordination with the Coast Guard—followed more than 48 hours of maritime surveillance. Two foreign nationals were intercepted while attempting to smuggle 10 kilograms of marijuana through Iraqi territorial waters.
Authorities also detained suspects of various nationalities and confiscated significant quantities of illegal drugs.
One individual was apprehended in central Basra in possession of 8,000 tramadol pills and 135 narcotic capsules. Another was arrested while attempting to buy drugs. A third, also a foreign national, allegedly acted as a financial intermediary, transferring funds to dealers in a neighboring country.
The operation also led to the arrest of three local dealers in separate stings. Each was caught with narcotics in their possession, bringing the number of detainees in this phase to six.
In subsequent raids, security forces lured a foreign trafficker to the Shatt al-Arab district, where he was arrested with 80 grams of crystal meth. Another operation resulted in the arrest of a foreign man and woman found carrying marijuana and crystal meth.
All suspects and seized materials have been referred to judicial authorities for legal proceedings.
Drug trafficking has surged across Iraq in recent years, with security officials warning that the country is becoming both a consumer market and a transit corridor for regional smuggling. In response, authorities have stepped up enforcement, issuing 245 death sentences and 955 life terms between 2023 and 2025, according to the Ministry of Interior.
