Iraqi security forces seized over one tonne of Captagon tablets, marking one of the largest drug busts in Iraq in recent years. The drugs, smuggled from Syria via Turkey, included seven million pills. The seizure indicated rising trafficking and ongoing collaboration between Iraq and neighboring countries to combat drug trade.
Iraqi security forces made a significant drug seizure, capturing over one tonne of Captagon tablets smuggled from Syria to Iraq via Turkey, as reported by the country’s interior ministry on Sunday. The operation resulted in the confiscation of 1.1 tonnes, equivalent to seven million pills, completing one of Iraq’s largest drug busts in recent years.
General Moqdad Miri, the interior ministry spokesman, indicated that the operation involved the apprehension of a truck transporting the narcotic. This bust marks the first major Captagon seizure announced since the downfall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December, who faced accusations of manufacturing the drug at scale.
The authorities recorded a transfer from a Turkish truck to an Iraqi truck near the border, supported by video evidence from the interior ministry. While General Miri confirmed arrests had been made, he refrained from providing specifics regarding the number or nationality of the detainees involved in the operation, which was executed in collaboration with Kurdish security forces.
The drug Captagon, an illegal stimulant resembling amphetamines, has become Syria’s largest export amid the ongoing civil war, which began in 2011. In the face of escalating trafficking, Iraq is cooperating with neighboring countries, particularly Jordan and Saudi Arabia, to enhance their efforts against such narcotics.
In 2022, Iraq reported the seizure of six million Captagon pills, with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNDOC) stating that from 2019 to 2023, approximately 82 percent of Captagon trafficking in the Middle East originated from Syria. In 2023, authorities in Iraq seized a record 24 million pills, valued between $84 million and $144 million, underscoring the alarming rise in Captagon use and trafficking in the region.
In conclusion, the Iraqi security forces’ recent seizure of over one tonne of Captagon pills represents a significant step in combating drug trafficking. This operation not only highlights the ongoing challenges posed by narcotics in the region but also emphasizes the importance of regional cooperation in addressing such threats. With the alarming increase in Captagon use documented in recent years, efforts to disrupt supply channels are critical for public health and security.
Original Source: anfenglishmobile.com
