The General Directorate of Narcotics Affairs at Iraq's Federal Ministry of Interior announced on Saturday the successful dismantling of 57 international drug networks operating in Baghdad and several provinces. The operation is part of an ongoing effort to combat the growing drug trade in the country.

Hussein Yusuf al-Tamimi, Director of the Directorate's Media Department, stated that within a 24-hour period, preemptive strikes and intelligence-based operations inflicted significant losses on drug traffickers. “A series of unprecedented consecutive arrests led to the comprehensive identification of 57 international drug networks, including their routes, smuggling methods, and ways of concealing narcotics,” al-Tamimi said in a statement to BasNews.

The arrests were carried out under judicial orders issued by the Central Investigative Court in Al-Rusafa, the First Investigative Court of Al-Karkh, and other specialized courts across various provinces.

For years, Iraq has transitioned from being a mere transit point for drug trafficking to becoming a key consumer and producer of narcotics. International networks have established a foothold in the country, using it to transport drugs to neighboring nations, particularly Iran, and distributing them internally. This has presented Iraq with a new challenge that observers warn may rival, or even surpass, the threat of terrorism.

Despite efforts by security forces, the trade and consumption of drugs in Iraq remain at alarming levels. A recent report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime highlighted that Iraq has witnessed a massive surge in drug trafficking over the past five years, with Captagon and methamphetamine being among the most trafficked substances.

In 2023, Iraqi authorities seized a record 24 million Captagon pills, weighing more than 4.1 tons, with a street value estimated between $84 million and $144 million. The report noted that Captagon seizures had tripled between 2022 and 2023, with last year's figures 34 times higher than those of 2019.

The UN report also warned that Iraq could become a significant hub for drug smuggling networks operating across the Middle East, as the country lies at the crossroads of an increasingly complex global trafficking system.