In Baghdad, officers “detained 11 suspects according to different legal articles, among them one accused of witchcraft and another of impersonating an official ‘officer’,” the Baghdad Operations Command announced in a statement.
“Unlicensed weapons, ammunition, narcotics and drug paraphernalia were seized, in addition to the confiscation of a number of vehicles and motorcycles that violated traffic regulations,” it added.
In a separate statement, the command announced the arrest of 14 wanted individuals, including two accused of theft and another of trafficking narcotics.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani has made combating drugs a focus of his government and said there is a link between traffickers and terrorism. Despite the strict measures he has introduced, drug dealing and use is rising at an alarming rate.
In 2023, more than 19,000 people were arrested across Iraq on drug-related charges, according to Baghdad, and over 15 tons of psychotropic substances were seized.
