Anti-narcotics police in Kirkuk said it has arrested 170 people for consumption and trafficking narcotics in the last six months, a rise compared to 150 suspects in the first six months of 2020.
The figures were declared on June 27th in a meeting session for security and health officials and civil society NGOs in Kirkuk, a day following the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, a United Nations International Day against drug abuse and the illegal drug trade which is observed annually on 26 June, since 1989.
Local officials warned of expansion of the illegal business and the catastrophic aftermath it leaves on the society.
“Kirkuk is one of the cities unfortunately is facing a growing issue of drugs which we try to curb,” said Colonel Huma Ra’ouf, head of anti-narcotics department of Kirkuk Police.
Kirkuk police has launched awareness campaigns publicly on the streets to counter narcotics to stop limit trading and addiction particularly in the impoverished neighborhoods.
A security source told KirkukNow official records shows capture of 170 suspects for charges of drug trafficking and consumption in 2021 while only 150 were arrested last year in the same period. Along the last year, 270 suspects were arrested.
The Eradication of Narcotics Law, endorsed by the Iraqi parliament in 2017, stipulates that anyone imports or produces narcotics will be charges with death sentence or life imprisonment.
Regarding consumption, anyone carries, transport, purchase, or consume narcotics, will be sentenced to life imprisonment plus a fine of 10-30 million Iraqi dinars IQD ($6,800-20,400).
Kirkuk June 2020- An awareness raising campaign by Kirkuk police about the serious consequences of narcotics. Karwan Salihi
Only in June, ver 25 kilograms of Crystal, Hashish and millions of Tramadol pills were confiscated.
Tramadol is a prescription opioid medicine used to treat moderate to moderately severe pain.
Kirkuk police command said it has arrested seven people for charges of narcotics trafficking, including a woman, in June, possessing an amount of Crystal.
Crystal Meth also called Ice or Glass is colorless form of Methamphetamine, a potent central nervous system stimulant that is mainly used as a recreational drug and less commonly as a second-line treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and obesity.
Chief of Kirkuk anti-narcotic police said they trafficking gangs are usually armed and confront security forces during the raids. “The level of trafficking and consumptions in Kirkuk is at the level of other cities, not alarming,” he added.
End of 2020, Kirkuk police has discovered and confiscated 14.6 million Tramadol pills in a warehouse in Kirkuk’s Shorao neighborhood,
