Iraqi Security Forces Arrest over 80 Suspected Terrorists in Week-Long Operation

The operations led to the seizure of 102 weapons, six sites involved in smuggling crude oil and its derivatives, and 21 vehicles, the statement disclosed.

According to a statement from the ministry’s intelligence agency, the security forces had also arrested 315 drug dealers and confiscated 22 kg of narcotic crystal during raids conducted over the past seven days throughout the country.

These recent efforts followed a series of raids conducted by the ministry between November 2022 and May 2023, resulting in the arrest of 8,676 drug dealers and users.

During the same period, authorities seized over 406,000 kg of various drugs, including 9.27 million Captagon pills, along with 456 weapons, 118 hand grenades, and 808 vehicles, the statement added.

Over the past two decades, successive Iraqi governments have struggled to effectively combat the drug threat due to the chaos and conflicts that have plagued the country since the US invasion in 2003.

In May, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani emphasized the importance of waging a “war on drugs” that is just as critical as the fight against terrorism.

Al-Sudani stated that drug dealing serves as a significant source of funding for terrorism, and the circulation of drugs thrives in the shadow of terrorism.