In a significant crackdown on drug trafficking, the Sulaimani Security forces, known as Asayish, have apprehended five individuals on charges of drug dealing. The operation culminated in the confiscation of a substantial 15 kilograms of narcotic hashish from their possession.

According to a statement released on the official Sulaimani Asayish Facebook page, the anti-narcotics directorate, in conjunction with the city’s internal security units, successfully intercepted the drug consignment. The statement highlighted the vigilant efforts of the security forces in thwarting attempts to smuggle these illicit substances out of the Kurdistan Region.

Colonel Salam Abdulkhaliq, the media director of Sulaimani Asayish, revealed during a press conference that the suspects had concealed the narcotics within a water boiler. He further disclosed that the contraband had been smuggled into the Kurdistan Region from a neighboring country, although the specific country was not disclosed.

Abdulkhaliq emphasized that the Asayish forces meticulously monitored the transportation of the drugs to Sulaimani, ultimately intercepting the illicit shipment.

The surge in drug trafficking and consumption has become a pressing concern in both the Kurdistan Region and Iraq since the ousting of Saddam Hussein in 2003. Kwestan Muhamad, the Labour and Social Affairs Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), expressed grave apprehensions regarding the escalating drug crisis. She cautioned that drug abuse posed a greater threat than terrorism itself, citing distressing instances such as the addiction of a nine-year-old child to drugs.

Minister Muhamad also underscored the alarming trend of increased drug usage and trafficking among women, although specific timelines for these observations were not provided.

In a concerted effort to combat the proliferation of drugs, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani reiterated the KRG's commitment to eradicating this perilous menace. Speaking at a conference dedicated to combating the drug trade, Barzani called upon both the Kurdish and international communities to collaborate with Erbil in eliminating the root causes of this endemic problem.

"The Kurdistan Regional Government [KRG] is earnestly and comprehensively dedicated to eradicating and combating this dangerous threat, while mobilizing all available resources to prevent its further dissemination," affirmed Prime Minister Barzani during the conference.

The successful interception and apprehension by Sulaimani Asayish underscore the region's determination to confront the scourge of drug trafficking and protect its citizens from the devastating consequences of narcotics abuse.