BAGHDAD, Aug 28 (NNN-NINA) – The Iraqi authorities said yesterday that, about 10,000 suspects have been arrested across the country, for drug-related crimes, so far, this year.
Hussein al-Tamimi, director of the media office at the Interior Ministry’s General Directorate of Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Affairs, said that, the judiciary has issued rulings against nearly 5,500 drug criminals.
Al-Tamimi also noted that, authorities have managed to dismantle international networks through information sharing and creating a database with other countries.
The chaos and conflicts in Iraq, since the U.S. invasion in 2003, have impeded successive Iraqi governments, from effectively addressing the threat of drugs.
In May, last year, Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, underlined the importance of waging “a war on drugs,” saying that, drug dealing remains a major source of funding for terrorism and that the circulation of drugs flourishes in the shadow of terrorism.– NNN-NINA
