Iraqi security forces arrested a suspected drug dealer in the capital on Friday, confiscating 16 kilograms of marijuana along with one kilogram of other narcotic substances, according to a statement from the Iraqi National Security Service (INSS).

The operation was part of a targeted mission by INSS detachments, which resulted in the arrest of the suspect at a residence in Baghdad. Video footage shared on the INSS Facebook page shows security personnel discovering narcotics concealed in furniture and boxes within the house. The suspect was later escorted by armed forces into a security vehicle.

This arrest highlights Iraq's growing struggle with drug trafficking, which authorities have compared to terrorism due to its severe societal impacts. Iraqi security forces seized more than a ton of narcotics in the first ten months of 2023, with approximately 75 percent being Captagon, an amphetamine-type stimulant notorious across the Middle East. Syria is the primary source of Captagon, with Saudi Arabia being the largest consumer.

In a significant operation earlier this month, Iraqi forces dismantled a drug trafficking network with international links, seizing over 150 kilograms of Captagon pills.

Iraq’s judiciary has imposed harsh penalties for drug-related offenses. Since the beginning of 2023, courts have issued 140 death sentences and 500 life imprisonment terms for smugglers and dealers, as reported by the Interior Ministry.

The crackdown on narcotics has also led to the arrest of over 19,000 individuals on drug-related charges in 2023, with over 15 tons of psychotropic substances confiscated across the country.

To address the rise in drug abuse, the government has expanded rehabilitation efforts. In July 2023, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani ordered the construction of rehabilitation centers in every province, excluding the Kurdistan Region.

The recent arrests and seizures underscore the Iraqi government’s ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking and its related social harms.