According to 2017 figures from Basra police, there were 4,035 drug addicts in the southern city. This rose to nearly 5,000 in 2018.
In just the first four months of 2019, 1,133 people were arrested for drug related matters. Around 500 of these were accused of drug smuggling.
Thiya Hussein, a lawyer who handles drug related cases in Basra’s courts, believes the true number of drug addicts is far higher than official figures suggest.
“Between eight and 30 drug-related cases are submitted to a judge every day,” Hussein told Rudaw. “Drug dealing is happening openly and all the politicians know where it comes from.”
“Basra does not have any drug production. It is all smuggled into Basra. The proof is that from time to time, a number of people charged with smuggling drugs are arrested in the border areas,” he added.
In an effort to address the problem, Basra police have organized seminars to raise awareness about the harm of drug use.
Basra authorities are working alongside the Iraqi Interior Ministry and the Kurdistan Regional Government to help prevent drugs being smuggled into the country.
“Our friends in the [Kurdistan] Region are determined to eradicate this trend,” Basra Police Commander Rashid Falih told Rudaw.
“Drug smugglers must be dealt with only with the sword. But those addicted to them could undergo training and special centers be opened to them across all provinces.”
Basra police plan to open nine police centers to combat drugs and five facilities to treat addicts.
“The Basra Provincial Council has agreed to the governorate’s plan to establish four main checkpoints,” Asaad Aedani, the governor of Basra, told Rudaw. “Additionally, a budget has been earmarked to combat drugs. We will even use drug-detecting tools including canines.”
Unemployment and social deprivation are thought to be fueling the spread of drugs in the city.
Although oil-rich Basra contributes more to the Iraqi economy than any other province, little of this wealth is reinvested in job-creation and essential infrastructure.
Basra city experiences daily power blackouts, while its water treatment and sanitation facilities have collapsed, leading to serious water-borne illnesses.
