Authorities warn of rising drug use in Kurdistan Region

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region —  Authorities in the Kurdistan Region are warning that drug use and trafficking are on the rise. 

"We seize drugs on a daily basis. Three to four days ago, we seized 23kg of drugs and thousands of prohibited pills in Erbil,"  Jawad Swar Hamad, head of Soran's Human Rights Office told Rudaw on Saturday. This happens daily."

Hamad hailed the work of the security forces in tracking down and arresting drug dealers.

"I dare say this is the result of sleepless nights that the security forces have spent. I am sure a larger amount [of drugs] might have gone undetected and ended up in the hands of the drug addicts," he warned.

"It has been four years since I became addicted to drugs. We want a solution to our addiction. We want to return to our families. We want to return to our mother, sisters and brothers. We want to get rid of this business. There is no remedy for this addiction. We need to be treated," said a man who preferred to remain anonymous.

More than 80kg of drugs have been seized by authorities at the Haji Omaran border crossing with Iran so far this year, according to the anti-narcotics directorate. 

In 2020, 550 kilograms of drugs of all kinds were seized in the Kurdistan Region, and 1,133 drug dealers arrested, according to the directorate.

The Kurdistan Region currently lacks rehabilitation centers for addicts. Most of those convicted for drug use are given prison sentences by the courts

 

Reporting by Bakhtiyar Qadir and Nasir Ali 

Translation by Zhelwan Zeyad Wali

Video editing by Sarkawt Mohammed