BAGHDAD: Iraqi security forces said Thursday they had seized 15 tons of illegal drugs, contraband pharmaceuticals and precursor chemicals and made two arrests.
They said the chemical components confiscated in Baghdad are used to manufacture crystal meth and captagon — two drugs whose consumption has surged in Iraq in recent years.
The drug squad made the seizure in an upscale neighborhood of the capital, the interior ministry said in a statement.
“Two suspects were arrested and brought to justice,” said Col. Bilal Sobhi, spokesman for the unit that is attached to the ministry.
The squad confiscated “15 tons of narcotics, chemical components used in the manufacture of drugs, and contraband medicines not registered with the health ministry,” he said.
Sobhi said the chemical components seized are used to make captagon, a synthetic amphetamine-type drug, and crystal meth or methamphetamine.
Iraqi authorities regularly announce the seizure of captagon pills, usually from neighboring Syria, the top supplier for the illicit market in Saudi Arabia and other wealthy Gulf countries.
War-scarred Iraq, originally mainly a drug transit country, has faced an explosion in narcotics use in recent years, mainly of captagon and crystal meth.
In early August, Iraqi justice officials announced the arrest of a trafficker in possession of 35 kilograms of opium and more than half a million captagon tablets.
Iraq reports huge illegal drugs seizure, two arrests
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Iraq reports huge illegal drugs seizure, two arrests
- They said the chemical components confiscated in Baghdad are used to manufacture crystal meth and captagon
- The drug squad made the seizure in an upscale neighborhood of the capital, the interior ministry said
US announces ‘large-scale’ strikes against Daesh in Syria
- CENTCOM said operation ordered by President Donald Trump
- Launched in response to the deadly Dec. 13 Daesh attack in Palmyra
WASHINGTON: US and allied forces carried out “large-scale” strikes against the Daesh group in Syria on Saturday in response to an attack last month that left three Americans dead, the US military said.
“The strikes today targeted Daesh throughout Syria” and were part of Operation Hawkeye Strike, which was launched “in direct response to the deadly Daesh attack on US and Syrian forces in Palmyra, Syria” on December 13, US Central Command said in a statement on X.
CENTCOM said the operation was ordered by President Donald Trump following the ambush and is aimed at “root(ing) out Islamic terrorism against our warfighters, prevent(ing) future attacks, and protect(ing) American and partner forces in the region.”
The statement continued: “If you harm our warfighters, we will find you and kill you anywhere in the world, no matter how hard you try to evade justice,” adding that US and coalition forces remain “resolute in pursuing terrorists who seek to harm the United States.”
The statement did not note whether anyone was killed in the strikes. The Pentagon declined to comment on more details and the State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
About 1,000 US troops remain in Syria, while Syria has been cooperating with a US-led coalition against Daesh, reaching an agreement late last year when President Ahmed Al-Sharaa visited the White House.
* With Agencies
