Iraqi Interior Ministry Announces Foiling of 16 Tons of Drug Smuggling and Issuance of Hundreds of Deterrent Sentences

The Ministry of Interior announced unprecedented security achievements in combating narcotics, as competent authorities thwarted attempts to smuggle over 16 tons of illicit drugs into Iraqi territory over the past three years. Joint efforts with the Iraqi judiciary resulted in hundreds of death and life imprisonment sentences for convicts, reflecting a qualitative leap in legal deterrence compared to previous years. Security agencies have also bolstered intelligence cooperation with neighboring and regional countries, shifting from a defensive strategy to a proactive one by conducting preemptive operations beyond national borders to dismantle smuggling networks.